‘Iloilo assured of enough electricity for Christmas’
The Iloilo provincial government is assisting the Iloilo Electric Cooperative II (ILECO II) in negotiating the purchase of 3 to 5 megawatts of additional power from Salcon Power Corp. to ensure adequate power supply in the province during the Christmas season.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. said he is looking for solution for areas most affected with the insufficient power supply
Defensor said that during his meeting with the ILECO II management last week, they discussed the plan to buy power supply from Salcon to augment the supply in the province even just for the months of November and December.
“It’s so expensive but we have to find solution to address the problem of consumers from provincial towns which are being supplied by ILECO II,” he said.
ILECO II covers the towns of New Lucena, Zarraga, Pototan, Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo, Mina, Janiuay, Lambunao, Badiangan, Calinog, Bingawan,San Enrique, Dueñas and Dingle, and Passi City.
Defensor said the ILECO II is also eyeing to buy biomass from Steven Chan who owns the Central de Azucarera de San Antonio in Passi City to further increase its power supply.
“We have to do everything to mitigate the lack of power supply in the province and ensure that there will be no blackout during the Christmas season,” Defensor said
Earlier, Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas said the 164-megawatt coal-fired power plant of the Panay Energy Development Corp. in Brgy. Ingore, La Paz will already start its operation this week to augment power supply in Iloilo.*
