Retail Competition and Open Access
Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) is part of the Republic Act 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001. It allows Contestable Customers to choose their preferred retail electricity suppliers, as opposed to Captive Markets who must stay with their respective Distribution Utilities (DUs) for their electricity requirements.
There are thresholds and criteria set by the Regulators that you must meet:
- Phase 1
Existing customers: Past 12-month average historical monthly peak demand of ≥ 1 MW
Newly connected customers: Forecasted monthly peak demand of 3 MW
Customers with a forecasted average monthly peak demand between 1 MW and 3 MW are required to have a monthly peak demand of ≥ 1 MW for three (3) consecutive months. An end-user that has been in operation for less than twelve (12) months upon the Open Access Date shall be considered a newly connected end-user. - Phase 2
Existing customers: Past 12-month average historical monthly peak demand of ≥ 750 kW
- Phase 3
Existing customers: Past 12-month average historical monthly peak demand of ≥ 500 kW
In the past, qualified Contestable Customers (Phase 1 & 2) were issued a Certificate of Contestability (CoC) by the ERC. A CoC serves as proof of customer’s eligibility to choose his/her own retail electricity supplier. CoCs were issued either directly to the Contestable Customers (CC) or delivered through its Distribution Utility (DU).
Starting February 2021, the billing statement was used as proof of contestability and will be delivered directly to CCs under Phases 1, 2 & 3. Switching to a supplier is currently voluntary. Upon receiving said notification, the CC may now join the contestable market.
Bill ad for customers qualified for both GEOP and RCOA
- Determine qualification.
If you meet the criteria listed above, you may switch to retail competition.
- Know your needs.
In order to pick the right supplier, you must know your business’s power usage, consumption forecast and load profile.
- Request for your Load Profile.
Your load profile (LP) contains information on your consumption behaviors and patterns based on specified intervals in a given time period. The LP data is the interval data of active demand (kilowatt – kW) and energy (kilowatt-hour – kWh) consumption.
To request for your LP, you will need to submit the following to biz@meralco.com.ph or through your Biz Partner Manager:
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Letter of Request from the company CEO, COO, General Manager, or President. If the people mentioned are unable to write the required letter, prepare the following:
- Authorization Letter or Secretary’s Certificate
- Latest General Information Sheet (GIS)
- Photocopy of valid government-issued ID
- Signature of the receiving personnel
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Accomplished LP Data Request Form signed by the company CEO, COO, General Manager, of President. In case data shall be received by those other than the authorized recipients, the receiving personnel must present:
- Notarized Special Power of Attorney (SPA)
- Photocopy of valid government-issued ID
- Signature of the receiving personnel
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Only the initial request for your LP is free of charge while succeeding requests will have a fee.
- Choose a supplier.
Make sure to contract with an ERC-licensed Retail Electricity Supplier (RES) who can provide both the best pricing options and design for your energy needs.
- Prepare and submit the requirements.
Depending on your billing scheme and the type of supplier you choose, there are a few more documents and steps you will have to take before the actual switch takes place. This may go over the course of two months.
To learn more, book a free Power Consult today via biz@meralco.com.ph, business hotline 16210, or your Biz Partner Manager.
- An introduction to RCOA
- Shifting to Retail Competition
- After switching to Retail Competition