Thursday, March 13, 2008 House hearing on Kepco-Salco deal set today
THE House of Representatives Committee on Energy will conduct a committee hearing on the controversial deal entered by two electric cooperatives based in the province with KEPCO Salcon Power Corporation (KSPC) for a power supply contract Thursday.
Acting Governor Isidro Zayco said the House Energy Committee headed by Congressman Mikee Arroyo will hear presentations from those who are for and against the power sales contract with KSPC which will be using a coal technology as a source of electricity.
KSPC signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) to supply power starting 2010 and said MOA was submitted to the Energy Regulatory Commission of the Department of Energy for deliberations.
Oppositors to the agreement claimed that the MOA with KSPC was illegal because of the failures of the proponents to conduct public consultations prior to the signing of agreement.
This was refuted by Ceneco President Bobby Montelibano who insisted that there was proper consultation and the agreement is aimed to secure the electricity supply of the electric cooperative once the power sales contract with National Power Corporation expires in 2010.
Montelibano said there is a projected shortage of power starting next year and it will worsen if the cooperative will not make efforts of securing its source of power.
The public hearing is to take place at exactly 1:00 p.m. Thursday at the provincial capitol's main hall and militants and environmental groups opposing the MOA as well as officials from different electric cooperatives and public officials considered as stakeholders of the power supply contract are expected attend the hearing.
Meanwhile, Zayco is still awaiting official request from interested stakeholders of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) if they want the House Committee on Agrarian Reform to conduct committee hearings also in the province like the one conducted in Dumaguete last week.
Zayco said it would be self serving if the Provincial Government will be the one to make the request for a public hearing because it made study on the impact of Carp in the province with conclusion that it was a gross failure in alleviating the quality of life of the farmer beneficiaries.
