The Philippine government has expanded access to the competitive retail electricity market (CREM) by lowering the minimum average peak demand from 500 kilowatts to 100 kilowatts, enabling more businesses—including small and medium enterprises—to choose their own electricity supplier, according to a report by Google News.
The threshold reduction, anchored on the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, is expected to liberalize supply options and foster competition among retail electricity suppliers. Previously, only large industrial users with at least 500 kW demand could participate in the CREM.
Smaller businesses now gain the ability to negotiate lower rates and better contract terms, potentially reducing electricity costs. The Energy Regulatory Commission oversees the implementation, and qualified end-users must meet the minimum 100 kW capacity requirement to avail of retail competition.