QUEZON CITY, 24 August 2026 –– Consumers should not be made to pay for system losses that electric distribution utilities can prevent. The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), in a recent position paper, is calling for reforms that distinguish unavoidable technical losses from preventable losses caused by electricity theft, illegal connections, meter tampering, billing errors, and other operational failures. The call comes amid renewed public debate over system loss charges following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2026 State of the Nation Address, with consumers questioning why they continue to bear charges for electricity they did not consume. While [...]