Power firms' enhancement pushed

THE Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) member-consumers have adopted a resolution calling Zamcelco management and board to study the possibility of implementing the investment management contract (IMC).

The resolution was adopted during Zamcelco's Annual General Membership Assembly Sunday afternoon after Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar pushed for the cooperative's enhancement program under the IMC scheme in a bid to ensure a 24-hour stable power supply in Zamboanga City.

Salazar said the aggravating power problem has been affecting businesses, government agencies and all sectors, upsetting the city's development programs.

"Sufficient power supply is an indispensable strategy for economic development. It has always been our goal to have a 24-hour stable power supply for the city and it is essential that we explore any and all means available to have electricity supply sufficient to maintain our thrust for economic progress and to ensure better quality of life for our people," Salazar said.

Zamboanga City had been experiencing the past months six to seven or even eight hours brownout daily due to less power generation from the Mindanao grid.

Zamboanga City, which has a total peak load of 85 to 90 megawatts, is being supplied by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (Psalm) and two independent power producers.

Salazar said the IMC scheme is recommended by the City Council patterned after the program implemented by the Pampanga Electric Cooperative.

Salazar said Zamcelco's capabilities will be enhanced, making it economically viable under the IMC scheme.

But Salazar clarified that the IMC is not to remove the present Zamcelco management but rather a scheme that will capacitate and improve the operation of the cooperative.

She also called for the calibration of Zamcelco's capacities and services to make it more responsive to the needs of its more than 100,000 member-consumers.

She appealed to the National Electrification Administration to strengthen Zamcelco and help it become economically viable and prepared for retail competition and open access as mandated by law. (Bong Garcia)

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