ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is not endorsing More Electric and Power Corp.’s (MORE Power) application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) filed at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
MORE Power is the new power distributor here. Its 25-year franchise was approved last month.
The ERC, however, requires all power distribution utilities to secure a CPCN, a working permit.
Yesterday the SP thumbed down the proposed resolution of Councilor Joshua Alim endorsing MORE Power’s CPCN application.
According to Alim, the resolution would have shown to the ERC that “we are supporting this application; ang purpose is to avoid interruption in the delivery of electricity to consumers of Iloilo City.”
SP members, however, said there was no need for an endorsement. They also believed there won’t be power interruptions despite the legal wrangling of MORE Power and predecessor Panay Electric Co. (PECO) whose franchise expired on Jan. 19, 2019.
While MORE Power has secured a franchise, the ERC allowed PECO to continue operating via a CPCN that would expire on May 25, 2019 yet.
MORE Power has no power distribution facilities in Iloilo City; what it hopes is to expropriate PECO’s assets – a move that PECO is contesting in court.
Councilors R Leone Gerochi and Eduardo Peñaredondo said ERC would ensure that Iloilo City won’t be plunged into darkness despite the legal skirmish between MORE Power and
PECO.
“If PECO’s CPCN will expire then all that it needs to do is secure a renewal for two years,” said Gerochi.
MORE Power’s franchise law gives it and PECO a two-year transition period.
Only Alim and Councilor Plaridel Nava voted in favor of the proposed resolution endorsing MORE Power’s CPCN application./PN
