How to Switch Your Electricity Supplier in the Philippines: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Check eligibility

The first step is confirming your business meets the demand threshold. Under the June 2026 RCOA expansion, businesses with an average monthly peak demand of 100kW or more qualify. Check your distribution utility bill for the demand reading, or contact a Retail Electricity Supplier to assess your eligibility. Businesses that don't individually meet 100kW can explore the Retail Aggregation Program (RAP) to combine demand across multiple sites within the same DU franchise area.

Step 2: Choose a Retail Electricity Supplier

Research licensed RES providers and evaluate them based on transparency, billing clarity, service model, and track record. Look for suppliers that offer itemized billing, consumption data access, dedicated account management, and a clear switching process. The relationship with your RES is ongoing — choose a partner, not just a price.

Step 3: Submit Letter of Intent to your distribution utility

Once you have selected your RES, you submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to your distribution utility. This formal notification signals your decision to switch to open access. Your RES typically prepares this document and coordinates the submission on your behalf. The 90-day switching timeline begins from the date of LOI acceptance.

Step 4: Metering installation and coordination

Your metering equipment will need to support interval metering — recording demand in 5-minute intervals rather than simple monthly readings. The Retail Metering Service Provider (RMSP) handles the installation and calibration. Your RES coordinates the scheduling so that the metering upgrade happens with minimal disruption to your operations.

Step 5: Transition and go-live

On your go-live date, your electricity supply formally transitions from the distribution utility's bundled rate to your RES supply arrangement. Your power is never interrupted — the physical delivery continues through the same distribution network. The change is in billing and supply management, not in the physical connection.

Step 6: Ongoing management and billing

After switching, your RES provides regular billing with full line-item breakdown, consumption monitoring, demand analysis, and account management. Unlike your DU's single-line bill, you now have visibility into what drives your electricity costs and data you can use for planning. Your RES manages the ongoing relationship with the wholesale market and the grid on your behalf.