BACOLOD City – Voting “yes” to the joint venture agreement (JVA) between Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Primelectric Holdings, Inc. in a series of recent plebiscites, member-consumer-owners (MCOs) of the cooperative are heading in the right direction, according to Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
“Hopefully the JVA will be properly implemented. We expect better service as has been promised,” he stressed.
The JVA will pour in at least P2 billion in capital expenditures for a massive system rehabilitation leading to 24/7 power supply, fewer unscheduled power interruptions (UPI), more efficient operations, and reasonable power rates.
“Bantayan ta gid ang next steps to be undertaken sa pag-improve sang kuryente,” Benitez said.
He hoped that the shift to renewable would be completed as early as next year; this is one of the three conditions set for supporting the JVA. The two others were the low cost of energy and no more brownouts.
Before Negros Electric Power Corp. (NEPC) – which Primelectric Holdings, Inc. would be later known – will take over pending the procedure, Roel Castro, president and chief executive of Primelectric, said he will meet with the board and management of Ceneco. He will ask them which areas they are comfortable collaborating with.
“If they say they want to start with the system loss reduction, we have the resources to do that, as long as it will not violate any regulations of the charter of the National Electrification Administration (NEA),” stressed Castro.
He assured Ceneco he will put primordial importance to consumers’ wishes – better service and competitive rates./PN
