WHAT will happen to Iloilo City after May 25, 2019 when Panay Electric Co.’s (PECO) Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) expires?
I predict that nothing will happen until and unless MORE Power can demonstrate that it has the organization necessary to provide the required service.
Demonstrate to whom?
At the moment it would seem that this responsibility lies with Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi. As writers before me, specifically George Chapman (1559-1634) and Charles Dickens (1812-1870), have said: “The law is an ass.” Repbulic Act 11212 is, for the time being, irrelevant.
Unless the imbroglio is resolved, the CPCN will be renewed and issued to PECO for an uncertain time. I suppose CPCN implies the ability to provide the required service which currently precludes MORE.
Panay News on March 2 reported MORE as saying that it had a CPCN from Dec. 27, 2018. This seems not to be the case. Nevertheless MORE has now applied for a CPCN to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), “with provisional authority,” but at the time of writing it is not clear that ERC has approved MORE’s application.
Half a century ago there was much unpleasantness in Northern Ireland. Key infrastructure was at risk from terrorists. Specifically, electric power stations were vulnerable. The British Army was requested to protect the power stations and to keep them running. The Army responded that it could provide protection but did not have the necessary technical skills to keep the stations running.
This is relevant to our current situation. MORE may eventually take over the hardware associated with distributing electricity to 57, 000 customers but will it have the manpower which has the skills to maintain a reliable supply?
Planned maintenance of poles, wires, cables, transformers etc. is prudent. The Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) has such a program. Advance notice is given as to where and when there will be brownouts. This knowledge helps us to mitigate the adverse effects of the brownout. The advance notice appears in local newspapers and social media. I notice that Ceneco general manager Sulpicio C. Lagarde Jr. is a subscriber to Panay News. Perhaps he can arrange for PN to be included in the list of those who convey the helpful advance notice.
The scheduled brownouts can be lengthy. Alijis Feeder 6, which includes the subdivision where I live, had a brownout (planned) lasting over eight hours on March 16. Malodorous residents start to bicker. More seriously, refrigerated beverages approach room temperature. Pilsen imbibers become cantankerous.
I believe that PECO does not spend as much effort on planned maintenance as Ceneco, yet unscheduled brownouts are, anecdotally, less frequent with PECO than Ceneco. Further investigation is required.
Charges and counter charges have been filed between PECO and MORE. This guarantees that the current unsatisfactory situation will continue longer than if the protagonists negotiated like gentlemen.
Whatever happened to civilized discourse?/PN
