AFTER all that’s been said and done, “I Am Iloilo City’s” sole power distribution utility, MORE Power, still has the lowest electricity rate in the whole of Region 6 (Western Visayas). This is based on the average residential rates of power distribution utilities in the region from January to February of this year.
In January, while the rest of the power distribution utilities were hovering from P10. 8518/kWh to P13.9200/kWh and the rest averaging P12 plus/kWh, MORE Power had the lowest at P10.3280/kWh.
The following month, February, the other power distribution utilities decided to increase their electricity rates again, averaging P13 plus/kWh with the highest at P14.6282/kWh. MORE Power did just the opposite by further lowering their electricity rates to P9.9652/kWh, meaning the rest of the power distribution utilities were charging their consumers double digits, while your friendly neighborhood power distribution utility, MORE Power, is good for a single digit electricity rate.
I remember MORE Power president / chief executive officer Roel Castro once said something like this: “We will always look for the best/lowest electricity rate in the open market for our consumers in Iloilo City.”
And this is what I meant when I said that MORE Power won the hearts and minds of the natives of “I Am Iloilo City” with flair and elan, setting the standards of what a power distribution utility should be – a company stepped up in customer service, always on the lookout on what’s best for the customer, because a happy customer means good business and good business means profit.
Obviously, what concerns the natives of “I Am Iloilo City” most these days is not the high cost of electricity as MORE Power took care of that and continuously finds ways to keep it to a more comfortable level when the volatile open market spikes. It is the unreliable power supply coming from the grid of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
Anyway, before you start blaming MORE Power for the spate of blackouts that has hit Iloilo City/Panay Island, remember, they’re a power distribution utility and not a power generating one. The power comes from NGCP, so if you must, then blame NGCP.
Take note, that every time there’s a blackout, the power distribution utilities are also greatly affected as they can’t bill you, they’re as much a victim as the consumer.
The good news first: the power reserve in the Visayas has increased by 493 megawatts.
In its power situation outlook, NGCP forecasted a total peak demand of 2,243 megawatts while its generating capacity stands at 2,736MW, indicating an increase of 493 MW power reserves.
Likewise, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that Panay Island’s power situation will likely improve in less than a month.
The Panay grid will be strengthened upon the completion of the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) transmission upgrade by the end of March and the regular maintenance shutdown of the Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) will also be finished by the end of March. (Panay News 3/5/2024)
Meanwhile, during the Panay energy stakeholders meeting, some short-term solutions to persistent power problems were presented to Mayor Jerry Treñas and Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
Foremost is MORE Power’s plan to re-commission Panay Power Corporation’s (PPC) diesel plant in La Paz for ancillary supply of 50 to 60 megawatts.
Another recommendation was the zonal allocation of Panay Island to lessen its dependency on outside plants.
The completion of the much-delayed upgrading of Cebu-Negros-Panay Grid by NGCP is another remedy.
The project is now 97.44 percent complete and targeted to be energized by March 31, allowing Negros/Panay grids to import power from Mindanao and Luzon grid interconnection using the 230kV Transmission Line.
According to Mayor Treñas, with these short-term solutions, long blackouts in Iloilo City/Region 6 could be avoided.
I suppose we can just keep our fingers crossed for all these to happen./PN
