VARIOUS consumer and labor groups are signing a manifesto condemning the alleged arbitrary and unreasonable imposition of additional charges by the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Wennie Sancho, secretary general of Power Watch Negros Advocates, said leaders and representatives of local and national labor and consumer groups are gathering Thursday, June 4, 2020, for a media conference in Bacolod City to raise concerns against the power distribution utility.
Sancho claimed that the electric cooperative has imposed “arbitrary and unreasonable” charges to consumers when majority of the workers were jobless amid the health crisis.
“We will also file petition before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and National Electrification Administration (NEA) to investigate Ceneco for alleged overcharging,” he said.
Sancho added that necessary health protocols like wearing of face masks and social distancing will be implemented during the conference.
Ceneco caters to the largest number of electric consumers in Negros Occidental including cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay and Silay, and towns of Murcia and Salvador Benedicto.
Power Watch earlier hit the cooperative after receiving numerous complaints from member-consumers on the "sudden increases" in the charges of their monthly electric bills during the lockdown period.
Also, the group was calling the attention of the members of Bacolod City Council to take cognizance of the issue that had adversely affected the member-consumers.
Most of them are financially hard up as they were jobless during the lockdown, it added.
For its May billing alone, Ceneco reported an increase of P0.5315 per kilowatt hour (kWh), making the rate at P11.1923 per kWh.
The utility, in an advisory, earlier explained that the increase is attributed to upward movement in the generation, transition and systems loss charges.
These charges comprise the biggest portion of the pass-through charges increased by P0.4850 per kWh. From P7.8359 per kWh in April, it moved up to P8.3209 per kWh this month.
The pass-through charges equivalent to P10.0057 per kWh of the total power rate also includes the Energy Regulatory Commission-approved adjustments, government subsidies and taxes, the cooperative said.
Only P0.1866 per kWh of the power rate goes to Ceneco through Distribution, Supply and Metering (DSM) charges and Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable Capital Expenditures for its administrative and operational services, it added.