The Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative has prodded the National Electrification Administration to approve the power supply agreement guarantee the electric cooperative signed with a power generator.
Omeco director Rodolfo Plopinio raised fears that their province may never attain sufficient electricity supply if the guarantee is not approved in time, a prospect that could impact on the May 2016 elections.
“In the interest of our member consumers, we are hoping that NEA will heed our request. We hope they will approve the guarantee,” Plopinio said.
He said the guarantee is for Omeco’s power bills to power supplier Emerging Power Corp. estimated at P69 million for 2016.
Emerging Power is putting up a 40-megawatt geothermal facility in the area to address the province’s power needs.
NEA guarantees Omeco’s payment to the supplier, which the mandate of the agency to support electric cooperatives like Omeco.
NEA is mandated to implement the government’s Rural Electrification Program and is yet to release its guarantee for the power supply agreement with Omeco.
Plopinio said that ever since the PSA agreement was signed in February 2014, they have already agreed to the NEA’s conditions and have completed submitting all documentary requirements for the guarantee.
“We may be facing brownouts here in Occidental Mindoro this Christmas. We have long been suffering due to our power shortage. We were hoping that this project will be the answer to our problems and we hope that in the coming NEA board meeting, they will heed our request,” he said.
The Omeco director said that apart from brownouts during the holidays, consumers have expressed fears that the lack of reliable electricity may be used to manipulate the conduct and results of the 2016 elections in their province.
Plopinio said that the lack of a PSA guarantee approval is the only impediment in putting an end to their electricity woes.
The National Power Corp. has signed a Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification Subsidy for Omeco.
The subsidy is designed to ensure the delivery of reliable electricity to marginalized areas, and those that are not connected to the main grid.
Occidental Mindoro’s capital town, San Jose, was once dubbed as the “Blackout Capital of the Philippines” due to power outages that last between six to 12 hours a day.
The entire province has endured power outages over the past few years due to inadequate supply coupled with its disconnection from the main grid.
Omeco believes that the power shortage problem has not only affected the daily lives of its consumers, but has also suppressed local business activity thereby impairing economic growth in the province.
