ILOILO City – Residential, commercial and industrial power users in this southern city can start enjoying the services of new power distribution utility MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) and no longer that of Panay Electric Co. (PECO), according to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
In a clear blow to the old power distribution utility’s efforts to stall its eventual demise, ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera said it’s all systems go for MORE Power, pointing out the issuance of a provisional Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to the company.
In granting MORE Power the CPCN, ERC also cancelled the provisional CPCN it issued to PECO after the expiry of the latter’s franchise last Jan. 18, 2019.
Congress had directed the ERC to issue PECO a provisional CPCN in transition to the full takeover of the city’s distribution system by the new franchise holder, MORE Power.
“With the ERC’s issuance of a Provisional Authority to MORE Power, it is clear that the latter is now the bona fide and legitimate distribution utility in Iloilo City,” Devanadera said.
MORE Power is “authorized to implement the last approved distribution charges for the Iloilo consumers,” added Devanadera, which means it is the company that should collect the monthly electricity bill of Ilonggos starting on the effectivity of the provisional CPCN.
“The Commission issued the Provisional Authority to protect consumers’ interest by ensuring uninterrupted electric service to consumers in Iloilo City and prevent chaos and confusion among customers as to who is authorized to operate the distribution system in the area,” said Devanadera.
MORE Power president and chief operating officer Roel Z. Castro said his company “welcomes this development.”
“We strongly urge consumers to visit the ERC website to check who is the legitimate power distribution utility for the city,” Castro said.
He assured consumers “MORE Power is committed to bettering our service with the modernization and replacement of old distribution lines and equipment all over Iloilo City.”
“We promise to light up the streets of the city with an efficient and professional staff dedicated to be good community partners of Ilonggos,” added Castro.
MORE Power acquired a 25-year franchise to distribute electricity from Congress in January 2019 after the legislature ignored PECO’s own petition for a renewal of its franchise in view of a strong and organized opposition from Iloilo City consumers dissatisfied with the 95-year-old utility’s inefficient services, high distribution charges and ineffective customer relations.
ERC finally issued MORE Power its provisional CPCN when it secured a Writ of Possession from the Iloilo City Regional Trial Court, Branch 23 to expropriate certain distribution assets of PECO and it started managing and administering the distribution system in the city.
‘DON’T CONFUSE CONSUMERS’
Since the ERC has already spoken, said Castro, PECO should not confuse the consumers.
“What I am asking, appealing really, to PECO and Divina Law, don’t confuse the consumers, please. You can hit us – and I am ready to take whatever blows they would like to give – but don’t confuse the consumers,” Castro said after dismissing PECO’s accusation that MORE Power secured a provisional CPCN by giving ERC false information.
While Castro shrugged off PECO’s claim, he commented, “Let them prove that.”
He emphasized that ERC’s statement recognizing MORE Power as the new authorized power distributor here is very clear because, first, it is MORE Power that has the franchise.
Second, Castro said, MORE Power has secured a Writ of Possession, the reason why the distribution system has been in their possession. He stressed that the writ was executed by the sheriff legally.
“Given that, and the preparedness we have been having, the (ERC’s inspection) team actually made that recommendation to the Commission for granting the CPCN to us,” Castro stressed.
He said ERC’s confirmation that MORE Power is the authorized power distributor here should be the guidance to consumers.
“It is really for the consumers more than anything because I think consumers are getting so confused now. And I can’t blame them if they are confused because the other party is confusing the whole situation,” said Castro./PN
