If you live in Samar or Southern Leyte, your kuryente bill went up again in September 2026. All five co-ops that serve these provinces raised their residential rate from August, and SOLECO in Southern Leyte is now at ₱16.60 per kWh, the fourth-highest of the 107 utilities with a September figure on PRESYO-PH.
This page puts the September 2026 numbers for SAMELCO I, SAMELCO II, ESAMELCO, NORSAMELCO and SOLECO in one place, with what changed from August, sample bills, and the honest solar math at each rate.
Figures checked 9 October 2026. October 2026 rates weren't out yet on PRESYO-PH. We'll update this page when they are.
September 2026 rates at a glance
Co-op | Area | Sep 2026 (₱/kWh) | Aug 2026 (₱/kWh) | Change | National rank (of 107) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SOLECO | Southern Leyte | 16.60 | 15.86 | +0.74 | 4th |
NORSAMELCO | Northern Samar | 15.87 | 14.19 | +1.68 | 12th |
SAMELCO I | Samar (Calbayog area) | 15.4664 | 12.7667 | +2.6997 | 16th |
ESAMELCO | Eastern Samar | 14.86 | 13.93 | +0.93 | 22nd |
SAMELCO II | Samar | 14.77 | 14.37 | +0.40 | 24th |
Sources: September rates and ranks from ICSC's PRESYO-PH national table (residential rate, September 2026). SAMELCO I's exact September and August figures are from its own power rate advisory, also reported by The Vanguard. The other August figures are PRESYO-PH data as shown on TipidKuryente's co-op pages. Changes are Solar Leyte calculations.
A few things jump out:
- SAMELCO I had the biggest jump, ₱2.6997 more per kWh in one month. That's about 21% (Solar Leyte calculation).
- NORSAMELCO was next, up ₱1.68.
- SAMELCO II moved the least, up ₱0.40, and is now the cheapest of the five.
- All five are above Meralco's ₱14.74 for the same month, per PRESYO-PH.
For context next door: BILECO in Biliran had the highest rate of the 107 utilities PRESYO-PH reported for September 2026, at ₱18.93. LEYECO IV was ₱16.97, LEYECO V ₱16.38, DORELCO ₱16.23 and LEYECO II ₱14.05 (all PRESYO-PH, September 2026). We track those in our BILECO rate tracker, LEYECO II tracker and LEYECO IV and V tracker.
How 2026 compares with earlier years
PRESYO-PH has monthly figures for each co-op going back to 2023. Here are the yearly averages, as shown on TipidKuryente's co-op pages (which use PRESYO-PH data). The 2026 figure covers January to September only.
Co-op | 2023 avg | 2024 avg | 2025 avg | 2026 avg (9 months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SOLECO | 14.01 | 12.66 | 13.74 | 15.24 |
NORSAMELCO | 14.03 | 13.54 | 13.31 | 14.74 |
SAMELCO I | 12.63 | 12.95 | 12.23 | 13.48 |
ESAMELCO | 12.85 | 12.78 | 12.84 | 14.10 |
SAMELCO II | 13.41 | 12.86 | 13.48 | 14.12 |
All figures ₱/kWh, residential. Source: PRESYO-PH via TipidKuryente (SOLECO, NORSAMELCO, SAMELCO 1, ESAMELCO, SAMELCO 2), checked 9 October 2026.
So far, 2026 is the most expensive year since 2023 for every one of the five. SOLECO's 2026 average is ₱1.50 higher than its 2025 average, NORSAMELCO's ₱1.43, ESAMELCO's ₱1.26, SAMELCO I's ₱1.25 and SAMELCO II's ₱0.64 (Solar Leyte calculations).
Two more data points from mid-year: in June 2026, ICSC listed SOLECO at ₱16.57, NORSAMELCO at ₱15.72 and ESAMELCO at ₱14.43 per kWh (ICSC). So SOLECO has been near ₱16.60 for months, not just in September.
NORSAMELCO's own 2026 rate table
NORSAMELCO is the only one of the five that posts a clean monthly rate table on its website. Its power rates page showed these residential rates when we checked:
Month (2026) | Residential (₱/kWh) | Commercial (₱/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
January | 16.9071 | 16.5664 |
February | 14.6681 | 13.3753 |
March | 14.3904 | 13.1034 |
April | 13.7691 | 12.4822 |
Source: NORSAMELCO, Monthly Power Rates 2026, checked 9 October 2026. Later months weren't posted there yet; PRESYO-PH has NORSAMELCO at ₱14.19 for August and ₱15.87 for September.
Note that NORSAMELCO's commercial rate is lower than its residential rate in each of these months. If you run a small business in Northern Samar, check which class your meter is billed under.
What a 100, 200 or 300 kWh bill costs
These are rough bills: kWh used × the September 2026 rate. Your actual bill adds or subtracts small fixed charges, the lifeline discount (for very low users) and any adjustments, so treat them as estimates.
Co-op | 100 kWh | 200 kWh | 300 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
SOLECO | ₱1,660 | ₱3,320 | ₱4,980 |
NORSAMELCO | ₱1,587 | ₱3,174 | ₱4,761 |
SAMELCO I | ₱1,547 | ₱3,093 | ₱4,640 |
ESAMELCO | ₱1,486 | ₱2,972 | ₱4,458 |
SAMELCO II | ₱1,477 | ₱2,954 | ₱4,431 |
Solar Leyte calculation from the September 2026 rates above, rounded to the peso.
A real example: WarayWaray.com walked through an anonymised ESAMELCO bill due 19 August 2026. It showed 139 kWh and ₱2,138.18 due, about ₱15.38 per kWh all in. Generation was 51.6% of the bill. Pay after the due date and a 5% surcharge (₱106.91 on that bill) pushes the effective rate to about ₱16.15 per kWh (WarayWaray.com). Paying on time is the cheapest "savings" there is.
Not sure how many kWh your appliances use? Our appliance kWh guide covers the ref, electric fan, TV and rice cooker, and the solar for aircon post covers aircons.
Why the rates went up
The co-ops' own share is mostly not what moved. Generation is.
- Generation is about half the rate or more. PRESYO-PH's September 2026 rate mix puts generation at 54% of SOLECO's rate, 54% of NORSAMELCO's, 57% of SAMELCO I's, 53% of ESAMELCO's and 54% of SAMELCO II's.
- SAMELCO I blamed line loss and congestion charges. In its September advisory, SAMELCO I said the increase came from generation cost, mainly the line loss and congestion charges (LLCC) billed by the market operator IEMOP, and that some of these costs are being collected in staggered payments (SAMELCO I).
- It could have been much worse. SAMELCO I's first computation for September was ₱26.1503 per kWh. The effective rate came down to ₱15.4664 (SAMELCO I). The Calbayog Journal reported the co-op expected the drop because of the ERC's Regionalized Secondary Price Cap on the spot market, and that SAMELCO I said its distribution charge of ₱2.0750 per kWh hasn't changed in more than a decade (Calbayog Journal).
- People are pushing back. Calbayog City officials met SAMELCO I on 24 September 2026 to ask about the increase (The Vanguard).
The same pattern hit Leyte and Biliran. Our LEYECO IV and V tracker shows how expensive spot-market power and congestion costs pushed generation charges up after May.
One small warning: SOLECO's online appliance calculator still uses a mainland residential rate of ₱9.999 per kWh when we checked, and its power rates page is headed "Power Rates 2023". Don't use those numbers for budgeting in 2026. Your latest bill is the best guide.
What these rates mean for solar
The simple rule: every kWh your panels supply that you use yourself replaces a kWh you would have bought, saving you roughly the full per-kWh rate. Fixed monthly charges stay the same. Higher rates mean faster payback.
Co-op | Saved per 100 kWh a month | Saved per year |
|---|---|---|
SOLECO | ₱1,660 | ₱19,920 |
NORSAMELCO | ₱1,587 | ₱19,044 |
SAMELCO I | ₱1,547 | ₱18,560 |
ESAMELCO | ₱1,486 | ₱17,832 |
SAMELCO II | ₱1,477 | ₱17,724 |
Solar Leyte calculation at September 2026 rates. It assumes you use the solar kWh yourself (during the day). Rates change monthly, so real savings move with them.
What that table doesn't tell you:
- How many kWh your roof will produce. That depends on the system size and your location. Our how many solar panels do I need post walks through sizing.
- What happens to power you don't use. Daytime kWh you export to the grid aren't worth the full rate. How export is treated depends on net metering with your co-op. Our net metering guide explains the basics, and the plug-and-play and zero-export post covers the DOE's newer small-system rules.
- Whether it pays back for you. Our is solar worth it post does the full payback math, and the 5kW price post shows what the parts cost in 2026.
If brownouts are the bigger worry than the bill, look at the grid-tie vs hybrid guide first. A plain grid-tie system shuts off when the grid does.
Frequently asked questions
What is SOLECO's rate per kWh? ₱16.60 per kWh for residential customers in September 2026, per PRESYO-PH. That's up ₱0.74 from August's ₱15.86.
What is SAMELCO I's rate per kWh in Calbayog? ₱15.4664 per kWh for September 2026, from SAMELCO I's own advisory. August was ₱12.7667.
Which Samar co-op is cheapest right now? SAMELCO II, at ₱14.77 per kWh in September 2026, just below ESAMELCO's ₱14.86.
How much is a 200 kWh bill in Northern Samar? About ₱3,174 at NORSAMELCO's September 2026 rate of ₱15.87 (200 × ₱15.87), before small fixed charges and adjustments.
Can I switch to a cheaper co-op? No. Your address decides your distribution utility. What you can change is how many kWh you buy from it.
Where can I check the latest rate? Your bill, your co-op's Facebook page or website, and ICSC's PRESYO-PH tracker, which lists monthly residential rates for most Philippine utilities (107 had a September 2026 figure).
Solar Leyte is run by MACC Systems & Energy Solutions Inc., a solar installer in Naval, Biliran.
Get a free solar quote from MACC
Taga-Samar o Southern Leyte ka? Send us a photo of your latest SAMELCO, ESAMELCO, NORSAMELCO or SOLECO bill. We'll size a system for your own usage and show you the savings math at your co-op's rate, with no obligation.
- Call/Text: 0955 723 5093
- Email: official@macc-inc.com or benjie@macc-inc.com
- Website: www.macc-inc.com
- Request a quote online: solarleyte.com/quote
- Office: Brgy. Talustusan, Naval, Biliran 6543
Sources (all checked 9 October 2026)
- ICSC, PRESYO-PH national table: residential rates and rate mix by utility, September 2026
- TipidKuryente co-op pages (PRESYO-PH data): SOLECO, NORSAMELCO, SAMELCO 1, SAMELCO 2, ESAMELCO (August 2026 rates and yearly averages)
- SAMELCO I, Monthly Power Rates (Power Rate Advisory 2026-10, September 2026)
- The Vanguard, Calbayog LGU, SAMELCO I discuss rising power rates (30 Sep 2026)
- The Calbayog Journal, SAMELCO I says ₱26/kWh September power rate is not yet final
- NORSAMELCO, Monthly Power Rates 2026
- ICSC, Nearly 50 distribution utilities charge residential rates above the national average (June 2026 rates)
- WarayWaray.com, How to read an ESAMELCO electricity bill (August 2026)
- SOLECO, appliance calculator and power rates page