NO ‘DARK AGES’: When worst happens, Energy dept to distribute power in Iloilo City

Power interruption hitting Barangay Benedicto, Jaro, Iloilo City forces this man to eat dinner with a kerosene lamp providing him light. FILE

ILOILO City – If necessary, the Department of Energy (DOE) would take over the power distribution system in this city. But Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said this would only be the “last resort” should More Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) and Panay Electric Company (PECO) fail to agree on a smooth transition.

“That’s always the last resort. Makikialam ang gobyerno under the Constitution,” Fuentebella told reporters on Saturday.

The DOE official was in the city over the weekend for an environment and energy security forum held at the University of the Philippines Visayas – Iloilo City campus where he was speaker.

According to Fuentebella, the DOE awaits a Manila court’s decision regarding MORE Power’s appeal for expropriation proceedings against PECO.

It also waits for the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) decision over the two power firms’ application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN).

A CPCN is a working permit or operating license required of power distributors in the country.

Mino-monitor ng Department of Energy kung ano ‘yung development [sa ERC]…At the same time there’s a court case going on. So, we’re just waiting for all of this because we cannot really intervene as far as this hearing is concerned,” Fuentebella said.

On Feb. 14, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11212, granting MORE Power the franchise to “establish, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes and in the public interest, a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to end users in Iloilo City.”

This came after PECO’s franchise expired on Jan. 18.

But PECO was still allowed to distribute power in the metro, under RA 11212, until such time MORE Power acquires a distribution system of its own.

In line with this, PECO was granted a CPCN to cover the transition period. Its CPCN will expire May 25.

“There’s a transitory provision in the franchise law so we have to follow it,” said Fuentebella. “At end of the day, ‘yung consumers ang talagang binabantayan ng DOE na hindi na ma-interrupt ‘yung delivery of power.”

MORE Power president Roel Castro and PECO administrative manager Marcelo Cacho both expect the ERC to issue a CPCN before May 25.

Until then, Fuentebella said they won’t meddle with the case or with the ERC’s decision.

He added that once the court and the ERC issue their respective decisions, the DOE is open to lead a negotiation between MORE Power and PECO.

Nandito kami sa pagbabantay on the consumer side...We want a smooth transition and we want uninterrupted services,” Fuentebella stressed./PN

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