TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Electric cooperatives in the Cordillera region is gearing up towards generating electricity at a lower cost.
Peter Busaing, president of the Cordillera Region Electric Cooperatives Association (Ceca) said their group is looking towards hydro-electric generation to lessen power generation cost.
“Hindi lang siya distribution, iyon ang direksyon ng electric cooperatives para sustainable sila at the same time to increase development in their area,” Busaing said.
Busaing is a board member of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco).
Ceca is composed of Beneco with Baguio and Benguet as franchise areas; Mountain Province Electric Cooperative (Mopreco) covering the whole of Mountan Province; Kalinga Electric Cooperative (Kaelco), Ifugao Electric Cooperative (Ifelco); and the Abra Electric Cooperative (Abreco).
Basaing said the five ECs are currently collaborating for the conduct of a feasibility study on rivers found in Kalinga and is currently awaiting for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) approval of the service contract for them to be able to proceed with the feasibility study.
“We believe that by doing this, we will reduce the rate of the electric cooperatives (ECs) for the consumers here in the Cordillera. Kasi kapag electric cooperative, sa iyo iyong generation mo. Kapag EC, kapag nabayaran mo utang mo iyong papatayo mo sa mga hydro i-reduce mo iyong rate para sa member, consumer.”
Once approved, the Kalinga project would not be the first hydro generation plant owned by an EC. Beneco is currently constructing a 3-MW power plant in Buguias town in Benguet and is in the process of completing the requirement for a bigger power plant in Kabayan town.
Aside from collaboration towards setting up renewable energy power generation plants, the Ceca is also helping its “brother” Abreco, which is ailing.
“As a brother EC, tinutulungan namin siya (we are helping them). It is now under the management contract formed by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to oversee the management and operation for it to recover,” Busaing said.
He added that the NEA removed the members of the board and the general manager and placed a management group with the aim of financially making it recover by cutting its debt and collecting the unpaid electric consumption of several consumers that have accumulated over the years.
Busaing said that ECs are important to the country’s development, especially with its mandate to bring electricity to the farthest barangays despite the lack or impossibility of a return of investment. (With a report from PNA)