General manager Sulpicio Lagarde Jr. of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative told its 37th Annual General Assembly in Bacolod City Saturday that the cooperative will have sufficient power supply until 2015 and that there are plans to address the power shortage after that.

“By 2015, we see a deficit of about 15-25 megawatts depending on the growth we are anticipating,” he said.

Lagarde said they are talking to power suppliers and plan to increase their supply from the Green Core in Negros Oriental by 10 MW, which it promised to deliver by 2014.

They are also discussing with Energreen for another 20 MW for the peaking requirement of CENECO, he said. Last week, another power generating company discussed with CENECO their liquefied natural gas a renewable source, to be built within the CENECO franchise area, he added.

Meanwhile, Lagarde also said the Energy Regulatory Commission prescribes a test period or template to determine if an electric cooperative (EC) has implemented the correct tariff in compliance with its mandate to protect the interest of the consumers. That is why at the end of the year, they were required to submit proof of their filling to determine if CENECO has charged an appropriate rate.

Lagarde said last year, ERC determined that CENECO did not implement the correct tariff. Other EC’s will be ordered by the ERC to refund the over-implementation of the rates to its consumers, he said.

CENECO president Arnel Lapore did a power-point-presentation during the assembly to explain the Electric Power Industry Reform Act and the cooperative’s plans and projections to prepare for the challenges of the power industry.

Lapore also explained the issues on the privatization of the National Power Corporation, that used to be the sole supplier of energy, that was related to the power crisis and government’s failure to address the critical shortfall of power supply.

He recalled that in 1991, the 6-10 hours daily blackouts were costing the Philippine economy an estimated 1 billion dollar in losses annually.

Lapore said Napocor was later privatized to cut losses from loans and pass the burden of power infrastructure and investment on investors while earning revenues from them.

Lapore also said CENECO is mandated to be non-profit and the Energy Regulatory Commission has provided a formula or template for its rates.

He said the rates of CENECO are much lower than those of private electric companies, like Meralco.

Lapore said they also plan to upgrade their facilities and improve their services.*CGS

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