• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Members of the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) issued a manifestation of support, appealing the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the operation of a system for distribution of electricity to the franchise areas of Negros Power, with prayer for provisional authority.
According to a press release, the granting of ERC of CPCN to Negros Electric Power Corporation (NEPC) or Negros Power at the soonest possible time, will ensure that there will be no disruption of electric distribution services in its (NEPC) franchise area during the transition of operation between Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) and NEPC.
The provisional approval or interim relief for the application must be granted so that NEPC can immediately operate as a distribution utility in its franchise area and electricity consumers, can avail and enjoy, at the soonest possible time, the modern distribution system and services that will be made available by NEPC, it added.
Otherwise, it claimed that NEPC will not be able to operate as a distribution utility in its franchise area to the possible detriment of the electricity consumers.
NEPC’s franchise areas include the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay and Bago, and the municipalities of Don Salvador Benedicto and Murcia.
ACCESS president Wennie Sancho said they are planning to come up with a memorandum of understanding with NEPC so they will be recognized as an advisory and consultative body to the distribution utility. Once recognized by NEPC, they can facilitate the concerns of the consumers and this will help strengthen the rapport between NEPC and the consumers.*
