Consumers urged to complain vs power distributors
Power consumers can directly file a complaint before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) if they are not satisfied with the service provided by the electric distributor in their area.
Atty. Joel Bontuyan, officer-in-charge of the ERC for Visayas said under Republic Act 9136 or the EPIRA Law (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) said power distributors are mandated to give their consumers efficient service and enough power supply.
They are also mandated to activate a consumers welfare desk (CWD) to address the needs of its customers.
Bontuyan said complaints or position papers should be sent to ERC for its action as required by law. The ERC is a quasi-body and could not just step in the problems of the consumers without any basis.
Bontuyan made his statement during the first Media Workshop on Energy Reporting in Tagbilaran, Bohol last March16-18, 2007. The media workshop was participated by media practitioners from Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete and Ormoc.
His reaction was in response to concerns raised by the Iloilo media in the event Panay Electric Company (Peco), the city's sole power distributor, refuses to purchase power from the National Power Corporation (NPC).
NPC's Power Barge 101 arrived in the city last March 16, 2007. The 32-megawatt (MW) Power Barge can connect and supply power to the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid within five days to beef up the dependable capacities in Panay.
The barge's four units can generate as much as 24 MW. The transfer of the power barge to Iloilo City can address the 3 megawatt power deficiency provided by PPC to Peco. Primarily, the Power Barge will serve as a back-up. Peco has to ink a power supply agreement with the NPC before they can get power from the NPC for a cheaper price.