THE Power Watch Negros Advocates Inc. led by its Secretary-General Wennie Sancho wrote an open letter to Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) general manager (GM) Sulpicio Lagarde recently.
The letter was relative to the urgent concern particularly on matters involving the Electric Power Purchase Agreements (EPPAs) between Ceneco, and power suppliers like Kepco-Salcon Power Corp. and FDC Utilities Inc. (FDCUI).
The group wrote the National Electrification Administration (NEA) through Administrator Edita Bueno with questions on the power supply sourcing of Ceneco on February 16.
After more than two months, Sancho said they received a letter from Chuchie Destriza, former officer-in-charge general manager of Ceneco, dated April 29, informing them about his letter to NEA endorsed to Ceneco by Atty. Edgardo Piamonte dated February 26. It took Ceneco more than two months to answer his letter, he added.
Sancho said Ceneco also alleged that the truth behind many issues in Ceneco being presented by the media, most of which are either inaccurate or lack of relevant information, that may lead to misinterpretation to the public.
Be that as it may, “we are dismayed because instead of NEA answering our queries, it was passed on to Ceneco. For Ceneco to answer the allegations of overcontracted power supply contracts would be self serving, in as much as they could manipulate energy data to justify their position.”
“That is why we have brought this matter of urgent concern to your good office hoping that your answer as the general manager of Ceneco would shed light on this issue of overcontracted power contracts allegedly to accommodate additional energy from a favored power producer. The consumers should be informed whether the power supply agreements concluded or to be concluded with power suppliers are not grossly disadvantageous to them.”
Sancho asked Lagarde to confirm the data provided by Ceneco in its reply to them if it’s accurate as they suspect that the demand forecast of Ceneco for its power supply is over and the consumers are compelled to pay for the unutilized energy.
For Power Watch Negros, this incompetent contracting is grossly disadvantageous to the consumers, let alone the millions of pesos that Ceneco incurred in its trading losses due to its sell back to Wholesale Electricity Spot Market of its excess power supply.
“With all due respect, may we ask what is the status of the more than P232 million that we have to pay for the preferential billing with Kepco in Energy Regulatory Commission Case No. 2013-141, including the more than P151 million which should have been refunded to us due to alleged over charging of FDCUI? It is true that we are about to conclude an EPPA with Palm Concepcion Power Corporation?” Sancho asked Lagarde. (CNC)