Medium-sized businesses may now take advantage of the retail aggregation program (RAP) for electricity consumers and join the retail competition and open access (RCOA) after the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) cut the eligibility threshold for the monthly peak demand from 500 kilowatts (kW) to 100 kW.

ERC said the new rules will take effect on June 26, 2026 to give distribution utilities (DUs) and retail metering service providers (RMSPs) sufficient time to procure and install compliant metering facilities, the press release on Tuesday read.

Under the RAP program, which is part of ERC’s implementation of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), power consumers may apply to aggregate their consumption, even in separate locations, and choose their supplier.

“By expanding retail access to more end-users, we are promoting genuine consumer choice and driving competition that can lead to better prices, improved service quality, and innovation in the power sector,” ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, lawyer Francis Saturnino Juan, said.

ERC said more than 2,300 retail electricity customers have switched under RCOA, and there are now around 37 Retail Aggregated Groups (RAGs) with a combined demand of nearly 31 megawatts (MW).

“Lowering the contestability threshold to 100 kW and implementing it in a deliberate and orderly fashion marks a significant advancement in unlocking the full potential of open access and consumer choice in the Philippines. This move underscores our commitment to fostering a fair, competitive, and transparent electricity market that delivers enduring benefits to Filipino consumers,” Juan said.

ERC said the decision to lower the threshold was made after noting the results of stakeholder discussions nationwide held last September, particularly on the issue of the availability of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), procurement timelines, and potential stranded capacities from existing power supply agreements.