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[av_heading heading=’PECO: We address consumers’ plaints’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Wednesday, April 12, 2017
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ILOILO City – Panay Electric Company (PECO) is open to a congressional investigation, according to Mikel Afzelius, corporate communications officer of the power distributor.
“We are ready. We are transparent,” he told Panay News.
Afzelius also stressed that PECO promptly acts on consumers’ complaints, most especially those concerning electricity bills.
“Majority of Iloilo (consumers) wala man ta ya problema,” he insisted.
Afzelius also challenged Councilor Joshua Alim, author of the unanimously approved Sangguniang Panlungsod resolution calling for a congressional inquiry, to back up the complaints against PECO with proof.
“We fix issues diri sa PECO. We fix majority of the problems…kon sin-o man ang proponent, if its Councilor Alim, then he has to present evidences with regards to (the complaints) because case to case basis na ya mo kada customer,” he added.
Afzelius bared PECO’s move to address billing complaints – using smart metering.
“The city is very progressive. Partner kami upod sa syudad…dako man nga bagay ang bulig sang PECO sa progress sang city,” he stressed.
PECO will slowly phase out the analog and standard digital meters and introduce the modern Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI).
The installation of these “smart meters” provide many benefits, the most crucial of which is accuracy in meter reading since no manpower will be needed to read the meters, said Afzelius.
PECO sees smart meters as a “permanent solution” for billing issues of its customers.
“All readings are programmed to go directly to the computers of PECO without any actual meter readers needed on the field. This eliminates the human factor in meter reading and customers can fully rely on the accuracy of the billing,” said Afzelius.
The first 1,000 “smart meters” will be installed this month.
Another advantage of the smart meter is being tamper proof, said Afzelius.
“These new meters have sensors inside it that if anyone will try to tamper them they will automatically shut down and be reported in PECO’s system,” he said.
Prepaid electricity is also a function the smart meters are capable of when activated.
This will also be implemented in the future for customers who would want to choose prepaid purchase of power.
“The first set of these state-of-the-art meters will be placed in high voltage areas first since smart meters need to be clustered together for better efficiency,” said Afzelius.
The high voltage sites are ideal since the meters in those areas are designed to be clustered together, he explained.
These will be installed in the new Elevated Metering Centers (EMCs) in City Proper going towards the Calumpang area in Molo.
After the first phase is accomplished, PECO will be installing around 5,000 smart meters each year to replace all its existing meters, said Afzelius./PN
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