BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
In a position paper dated July 13 submitted to the Sanggunian Panlungsod, Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said the Central Negros Electric Cooperative may face possible civil and criminal suits.
Gamboa cited collusion between Ceneco and Kepco-Salcon Power Corporation resulting in the former’s failure to implement the winning bidder’s price of P3.29 per kilowatt hour.
He also noted that the electric firm insisted on extending the Power Supply Agreement at P5.42 per kWh with the KSPC for one year starting May 26, opening themselves to possible civil and criminal suits.
He said that on April 23, 2021, despite a resolution of the Ceneco Board of Directors to postpone the opening of the bids, the lowest bid of power at P3.29 per kilowatt nevertheless was won under the Independent Competitive Selection Process but was not implemented.
Gamboa said the P5.42 per kWh PSA extended price instead of the winning P3.29 incurred a loss to Ceneco of an equivalent to P368 million in one year that, unfortunately, will be charged or passed on to member-consumers.
In a public hearing on June 8 via Live Zoom Teleconference, Ceneco general manager Danny Pondevilla and the BOD justified that they rejected the Competitive Bidding Process because it was “power procured emanating from a non-renewable energy”.
Ceneco president Jojit Yap said they welcome the complaint because it will give them an opportunity to explain their side in a proper forum.*
