Palawan Electric Cooperative started implementing a comprehensive sustainability plan to lessen power interruptions and increase distribution efficiency.
National Electrification Administration deputy administrator for technical services Artis Nikki Tortola said PALECO already achieved significant gains after the creation of a task force whose main function was to speed up its rehabilitation.
“I believe that the gains that the Taskforce has done for PALECO is going very smoothly. But while these activities are being conducted, NEA has required PALECO to establish a comprehensive sustainability plan to protect the gains of the cooperative,” Tortola said.
NEA earlier created Task Force Kapatid Paleco composed of 10 electric cooperatives from Luzon and Visayas. Each electric cooperative deployed six technical personnel with boom truck and necessary equipment and logistics to aid PALECO in undertaking the rehabilitation of power lines within its coverage area.
Rehabilitation works of PALECO started on Aug. 16 and the electric cooperatives were expected to stay in the province for at least three months.
PALECO is the lone power distributor of Puerto Princesa City and the municipalities of Aborlan, Narra, Brooke’s Point, Sofronio Espanola, Cuyo, Magsaysay, Quezon, Roxas, Taytay, El Nido, Araceli, San Vicente, Bataraza, Rizal, Balabac, Cagayancillo, Agutaya and Dumaran.
“So far, PALECO has responded positively to such challenge and is currently establishing such plan. We are hoping that by Nov. 15, 2019, this plan will be in full-blown,” he said.
The sustainability plan also includes the possible coop policy amendments and or procedural enhancement. “This would also include distribution design development and innovations,” Tortola said.
He said the services of PALECO had improved because of the gains the task force implemented.
“The task force has cleared major problematic areas on vegetation, insulated 15.8 kilometers and an additional 9.6 km., replaced dilapidated structures, converted single phase line into three phases, among others,” Tortola said.
NEA also established deadlines for PALECO to complete other projects according to what was agreed on by the Palawan Sustainable Advisory Council.
Tortola said that after the rehabilitation, PALECO would have a more efficient distribution system and minimal power interruption.
“Interruptions will still be there. What we are doing is to minimize as much as possible these interruptions. We are also hoping that it will further improve their services to the island of Palawan and in the end be one of the vehicle of economic development for the island,” he said.
