Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) will be the guest speaker at the Central Negros Electric Cooperative Annual General Membership Assembly at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the University of St. La Salle gym in Bacolod City.

CENECO president Arnel Lapore said this could be the biggest gathering of consumer-members since they are targeting 8,000, which is about 5 percent of the 152,000 members under their franchise area that covers Silay, Talisay Bacolod and Bago cities, and Don Salvador Benedicto town.

He said District VI will have a synchronized AGMA in Silay City since they will have video-audio access to monitor the activities at the USLS gym as they did last year. But the rest will join them at the USLS gym in Bacolod, he added.

Lapore said they are also expecting city officials of Bacolod City, led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano, Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Marxlen de la Cruz, Talisay Mayor Eric Saratan, Bago Mayor Ramon Torres and Silay Mayor Jose Montelibano, to attend the assembly.

During the AGMA, he will deliver the president’s report while the financial operations of CENECO will be presented by their treasurer, Director Cesar Leonardia or a delegated officer, he said. The general manager will also render his report, he added.

Lapore said they will also unveil the short-term and long-term plans of CENECO and discuss how they have performed in the past year’s operation, as well as the present condition of the cooperative.

Lapore said they will also provide the consumer-members a bird’s eye-view of the system in delivering power from generation down to the households and the complications that arise resulting to higher or unstable power rates.

They will also appeal to the consumers to campaign against power pilferages and will also establish some protocol in order to implement an orderly and peaceful assembly, he said.

Meanwhile, Lapore also said the allegations of former CENECO president Edward Gasambelo that Leonardia was able to secure commissions from payments made by the electric utility firm to Panay Electric Development Corp. have no basis.

Lapore said the claims of Gasambelo against the mayor are unfounded and a 100 percent lie since there is no truth that Leonardia received any commissions.

He recalled that it was during the incumbency of Gasambelo when CENECO paid PEDC for the time of use (TOU) rates from June to August 2011.

Lapore said the TOU rate is a rate being recognized by the Energy Regulatory Commission and is allowed when there is no bilateral contract involving the power firm and the supplier.

He said PEDC supplied power to CENECO from December 26, 2010 to August 2011 and CENECO paid PEDC commissioning rate from January to June.

Lapore said a commissioning rate is a temporary rate which is much lower than the TOU rate. The reason is that the plant has just operated and is conducting a dry run so its power supply is not stable, he said. The rates are lower because the fuel cost is not being charged, he added.

PEDC is only claiming the difference between the TOU and commercial rates but this has not been paid by CENECO, Lapore said. This can be confirmed with the PEDC if indeed CENECO has paid the differential rates, he said.*CGS

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