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Thursday, December 02, 2004
Guv orders electricity firms to submit plans
By Syril Repe
GOV. George Arnaiz ordered Tuesday the province's two electric cooperatives and energy providers to submit to his office their separate position papers on the brownouts and how they will stop them.
Governor Arnaiz gave the order at a forum with officials of Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative (Noreco) 1, Noreco 2, the National Power Corporation (NPC), National Transmission Company (Transco), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the province, the Provincial Investment Promotion Board, and the business community.
The governor stressed he was not satisfied with the explanation of Noreco 2, saying energy providers had clarified problems on brownouts would not have surfaced had the distribution of electricity been handled and managed properly.
Arnaiz earlier echoed the complaints of frequent brownouts that had affected business operations dependent on electricity.
The governor said he was concerned because the Provincial Government has been aggressively promoting Oriental Negros as the next Information Technology "hotspot" after Manila and Cebu.
He said senior officials and chief executive officers of call centers and business processing outsourcing firms here and abroad are planning to invest and relocate their businesses in the province because of the existing "excellent" human resources, robust telecommunications infrastructure, the 'reasonable' cost of doing business, and the quality of life.
But, Arnaiz said, the investors are concerned with power supply.
"We are finding ways in what area the Provincial Government can extend its help or can tap other agencies for that matter," the governor said.
Chito Lozano, Noreco 2 electrical engineer who represented cooperative general manager Ephraim Taclob, explained that brown outs happen for three reasons, one, the scheduled brownout arising from the cooperative's preventive maintenance operation that include the clearing of vegetation, the unscheduled interruption caused either by over-loading or calamities like typhoons when major lines snap, and transmission failure.
NPC assured to strengthen their power generation by augmenting their equipment, loads, and building additional power plants in the future.
In a related development, the Provincial Government earmarked P20 million to subsidize power costs borne directly by consumers.
The amount will be taken from the 80 percent the royalty tax given to the Provincial Government by Transco for exploiting the province's geothermal fields in the municipality of Valencia.
Provincial Board Member Mariant Escaño-Villegas said the subsidy will be reflected in the December billings.
Villegas said she has discussed the mechanics of the plan the previous Sunday with officials of Noreco 1 and Noreco 2.
(December 2, 2004 issue)
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