ILOILO City – Power distribution utility MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) has assured the city government, residents and the business community of a stable and reliable supply of electricity. According to MORE Power president and chief operating officer Roel Castro, they are also committed to delivering affordable power to the Ilonggos.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (CPCN) has issued to MORE Power a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) and has revoked the provisional one it issued to former power distributor Panay Electric Co. (PECO).
MORE Power has a 25-year power distribution franchise here granted on Feb. 14, 2019. PECO’s franchise, on the other hand, expired on Jan. 19, 2019 and Congress refused to extend it or issue a new one.
Castro said MORE Power has secured power supply agreements (PSAs) with three electricity generation companies, including the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
Since Feb. 28 when court sheriffs started implementing the Writ of Possession issued by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 23, the four power suppliers have delivered close to 18 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to MORE Power for distribution to Iloilo City’s residential, business and industrial power users, according to Engineer Rey Jaleco, MORE Power Project Development head.
The utility has also deployed competent technical teams to man power substations and roving reaction teams all over the city 24/7 to address consumer complaints which have reached almost 1,500 or an average of 205 cases since Feb. 28.
According to Jaleco, the average length of time it took to restore power service from the time the complaint reached MORE Power is one hour and 58 minutes, with five minutes the shortest time, and eight hours and 44 minutes the longest.
Fifty-eight percent of the calls or posts on social media were about the free installation of new electric meters while the rest were about their areas having no electricity or light, and concerns about meters, poles and billing, Jaleco added.
The new distribution utility has also replaced eight aged distribution transformers of PECO in three districts, including three in the City Proper, two in Arevalo district and three in La Paz district.
“To ensure continuity of service, MORE Power troubleshooters and line teams are mobilized to provide assistance as may be needed,” MORE Power said in a statement.
In line with a congressional directive, MORE Power hired 61 former PECO employees.
For its operation of the city’s power distribution system, MORE Power needs 71 technical and 52 nontechnical people.
Under franchise law Republic Act No. 11212 signed on Feb. 14, 2019 by President Rodrigo Dutetre, MORE Power is authorized to take over power distribution assets and other properties whether private or government-owned so it can distribute electricity in Iloilo City.
Since Feb. 29, 2020 (Saturday) to date, MORE Power has been managing all five substations and all electric meters, power lines, poles, transformers, installations, and distribution equipment throughout Iloilo City.
The substations are the General Luna Substation on General Luna Street, City Proper; the La Paz Substation in Barangay Baldoza, La Paz; the Jaro Substation in Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro District; the Mandurriao Substation in Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao district; and the Molo Substation in Barangay Avanceña, Molo district.
MORE Power said it has also activated its standby Customer Care Program (CCP) which is divided into four parts:
* MORE Updates — focused on updating customer information
* MORE Konek – bringing the application process to the barangay for the convenience of the consumers
* MORE Korek – replacing all the “ageing” facilities particularly old electric meters to ensure correct meter reading
* MORE Kolek – tapping scores of third party collecting/remittance centers for the ease and convenience of consumers in paying their monthly bills and ensure that there is at least one third party collecting agent per district in the franchise area/PN
