Capitol-NPC interconnection reset on March 18
Top view of the Capitol's substation.
The interconnection between the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and the National Power Corporation (NPC) did not materialize as scheduled last March 12.
Assistant Provincial Engineer Romeo Andig said the interconnection was postponed due to the technical operations conducted by the National Power Corporation (NPC) relative to the installation of power connection to the soon-to-be-opened Iloilo Airport of International Standards in Cabatuan-Sta. Barbara area.
Andig said the interconnection for the Capitol power substation has been rescheduled for this coming Sunday, March 18.
Andig also disclosed that the rescheduling of interconnection comes also in time with the National Transmission Corporation's (Transco) approval of the Transmission and Supply Agreement (TSA) last March 9, 2007.
Andig said based on the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) the energization should take effect one week after the signing of the TSA.
Andig further said representatives from the NPC, Transco, and the Philippine Foremost Milling Corp. (PFMC) will conduct an on-site conference this coming Friday in preparation for the interconnection.
Power at the provincial capitol building will be shut down this Sunday to give way for the interconnection operations.
The Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) in a decision dated October 25, 2006 granted the provisional authority approving the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Contract for the Supply of Electricity (CSE) between the Iloilo Provincial Government and NPC.
The provincial government would use the sub-transmission lines of the PFMC, located some meters away from the Capitol, in connecting to the nearest NPC plant in Loboc, La Paz district.
Earlier, PFMC and Panay Electric Company (Peco) embroiled in a legal battle for the Capitol's bid for a direct power connection with NPC.
PFMC faced opposition from Peco saying direct connection to NPC and Transco is a blatant violation of laws and regulations and prejudicial to the general interests of the general public.
Specific of Peco's objections were that direct connection as supposedly allowed under the EPIRA Law has been modified and it will cause gross financial loss to Peco.
The objection also carried the clear objection as it pointed out that with the Foremost's direct connection comes the link with the Iloilo Provincial Government "contrary to law and prejudicial to public safety." Further still, Peco maintained, "the set-up would allow an end-user to become and act as an electric distributor itself," and the "set-up will ultimately hurt the customers of Peco in general."
Tupas said by having a direct connection with NPC the Capitol could save by as much as P300,000 a month in electric bills.