ILOILO City – Electricity pole fires persist in this southern city. During the holidays there were five such incidents from Dec. 23, 2019 to Jan. 2, 2020 and according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) the poles belonged to Panay Electric Co. (PECO) whose power distribution franchise expired on Jan. 19, 2019 yet.
All of these electricity pole fires happened at night, according to the BFP. Fortunately there were no reported injuries or deaths.
BFP data showed the pole fires to be in the following areas:
* in front of the transport terminal in Barangay Ticud, La Paz district on Dec. 23
* on Guzman Street, Mandurriao district on Dec. 25
* in front of the barangay hall on Locsin Avenue, Barangay Tacas, Jaro district on Dec. 30
* entrance of Juntado Subdivision, Zone 3, Barangay Calumpang, Molo district
* Remonville Subdivision, Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro on Jan. 2.
Two months ago the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) conducted an investigation on the series of pole fires here upon the prodding of Mayor Jerry Treñas who had expressed concern over the possible threat to public safety of “inadequately-maintained lines, power outages and hazardous electric posts.”
The ERC eventually came out with its findings: PECO’s protective devices were not properly rated and designed, some of its poles were leaning and in unsafe positions, and that some electricity meters were clustered and installed in an Elevated Metering Center without securing prior ERC approval.
PECO was then ordered to explain these which ERC considered as operational lapses.
Franchise-less for almost a year now, PECO is operating merely by virtue of a provisional Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) issued by ERC.
Congress refused to extend PECO’s franchise due to numerous consumer complaints arising from its ageing distribution system, including leaning electric poles, spaghetti-like hanging electricity lines, overbilling, and unprofessional handling of consumer complaints.
Congress instead granted MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) a 25-year power distribution franchise. There is, however, a two-year transition period to ensure uninterrupted service to consumers, thus the CPCN to PECO.
According to Iloilo City fire marshal Christopher Regencia, of the 461 fire incidents recorded here in 2019, nearly half or 218 cases were pole fires. The rest were structural fires (121), rubbish fires (37), and vehicular fires (nine), among others.
The reasons for these police fire incidents were dilapidated and ageing wooden poles and electrical wires and overloaded transformers of the 95 years old power utility PECO, according to the BFP.
The tolerance of illegal connections or “jumper” was also a culprit to the fires caused by faulty electrical connections, it added.
BFP clarified that only electrical cables could cause fires and not telephone or cable TV wires, contrary to PECO’s justification.
Meanwhile, power distribution franchise holder MORE Power stated in a statement: “We no longer have to accept these fires as a typical occurrence around the city. We now have an option. There is a new distribution utility looming to take over to deliver what PECO failed to provide its consumers — better customer relations, adequately maintained lines, adequate investment in distribution facilities, less distributor-related power outages, prompt restoration of power services, and MOREKOREK billings.”
It added: “A quick tour around the city would reveal spaghetti lines, lopsided poles, and electric meters stuck in electric poles from top to bottom…a picture of disaster waiting to happen…When did PECO actually spend for expansion and upgrades not only to accommodate the growing power needs of the city but to improve its services to the ordinary Ilonggos?”
PECO and MORE Power are locked in a legal battle. PECO is questioning the legality of MORE Power’s franchise. The case is now with the Supreme Cour.
MORE Power, on the other hand, filed an expropriation case against PECO to take over the latter’s power distribution system. The case is currently being heard at the Regional Trial Court, Branch 35 here./PN
