THE Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) is not disregarding the offer of coal power producer Global Business Power Corporation - Panay Energy Development Corporation (GBPC - PEDC), but only abiding with the competitive selection process rules set by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
This was explained by Ceneco president Arnel Lapore after GBPC-PEDC had earlier said that the offered rate of P5.05 per kilowatt hour (kWh), which was then computed to only P4.67 per kWh, for electric cooperatives in Visayas, including Ceneco, stays but until now the latter has not responded.
The Iloilo-based power producer noted that as early as 2012, it had already made the cheapest offer to power distribution utilities in Visayas, and it is up to Ceneco to decide, but the offer remains the same.
Lapore said that, not only Ceneco, but all electric cooperatives in the province including Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) and Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco), are covered by the ERC’s competitive selection process rules.
He added that the power cooperatives in the province are currently looking at bidding the needed power requirement, and “GBPC-PEDC will be invited thus, it is still being considered.”
“Through this selection process, we will be able to look at how competitive there price is,” Lapore said.
He further said that through bidding, Ceneco and other power distribution utilities may possibly see and consider offers cheaper than GBPC-PEDC’s given that the bidding is for bulk power supply requirement. (EPN)