MORE Electric and Power Corporation (More Power), in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), took a step towards enhancing operational and utility performance with the inauguration of the Work Order and Asset Management System (WOAMS) on October 25, 2023.
The event, held at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, marked a pivotal moment in the company's journey, as More Power President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Z. Castro and Lyan Villacorta, Program Management specialists with the USAid Regional Energy Climate Change program, highlighted the remarkable progress achieved in just three years.
Castro said the company's growth from modest origins to serving 93,000 clients and celebrated remarkable milestones in reducing system losses and improving service reliability.
"With this asset management program, with this work order asset management system, I am very sure this is going to be a very big help and a very big relief to us. This time, when this becomes live, we could know every part of the asset in every pole in every facility, we would know the age used, and we would know when it was replaced.," Castro said in his speech.
Castro added that the use of Big Data and advanced asset management tools is not merely for show but a means to increase the effectiveness of serving their consumers.
"We started from zero. Everything you do after zero is a big leap. Again, I will have the heart to do homegrown initiatives. I’m happy that after three years, those initiatives are felt by the consumers," Castro said.
In the past three years, More Power has decreased system losses from 30 percent to only 5.5 percent, increased the System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) by over 90 percent, decreased outages to less than 0.5, and recorded just one unannounced disruption lasting longer than 5 minutes per month.
SAIFI experienced a 95 percent reduction in downtime, demonstrating More Power's commitment to providing exceptional services to their customers.
Castro closed his speech by underlining the company's dedication to exceeding consumer expectations, despite being a monopoly in the market. He explained that as a utility provider, they have a vital role in advancing Iloilo City's power infrastructure, facilitating investor attraction, and addressing the region's growing energy needs.
"I’m happy that after three years, those initiatives are felt by the consumers. Businesses are already, I would say, in good standing. On the other hand, on the business side, the collection efficiency of over 99 percent. I think all stakeholders are happy. I want to thank USAid, the consumers, and the business group for supporting and having faith in us. Even three years ago, we were being questioned ‘who are you?’ ‘What can you do for Iloilo?’ ‘Do you have the experience?’ Probably at this point, I would say, now we have it," Castro said.
Castro celebrated the introduction of WOAMS, reflecting on their journey from humble beginnings to becoming a service provider that consistently surpasses consumer expectations.
Villacorta, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of energy security in driving economic growth.
USAid partnered with More Power around 2021 to find out how both can help improve its operational and utility performance.
Addressing the challenges of frequent interruptions, unreliability, and relatively higher costs, USAid’s Energy Secure Philippines initiative partnered with More Power to find solutions.
"And in over a year of fruitful collaboration, we were able to develop a Utility Improvement and Reliability Plan for More power in October 2022, which we have now implemented for a year. One that is focused on solutions to provide better electricity services," Villacorta said.
This collaboration has resulted in the development of a Utility Improvement and Reliability Plan, which has been implemented for a year, and includes the innovative WOAMS.
WOAMS is a digital system designed to enhance More Power's operational efficiency. It enables the utility company to manage and maintain information on its projects, resources, and other operational aspects, with a particular focus on promptly responding to power interruptions and customer connection and reconnection.
The system will be rolled out in two phases, including a web-based application and a mobile application, to ensure functionality in areas with poor or no internet connectivity.
"We believe that energy security cannot be realized without ensuring the reliability of our distribution utilities and electric cooperatives. Therefore, we will continue the work with More Power and others around the country to enhance our energy systems through sustained collaboration, partnerships, and innovations to better serve the Filipino people," Villacorta said.
Vice President for the Network Development and Operations Group of More Power Engr. Bailey Del Castillo said the company has unveiled an ambitious plan to revolutionize work order and asset management.
With a focus on centralization, automation and efficiency, the company aims to significantly enhance its operations.
"We have a dream, a dream that one day we will develop a centralized platform to manage work orders and assets, eliminating silos and automating the work order process, thereby reducing manual work. In this vision, we will no longer need paper and calculators when preparing work orders," said Del Castillo.
More Power's vision includes the seamless integration of data, eliminating double data entry during site inspections, and automating work order design and cost estimates. Upon completion, work orders will automatically update the status and pinpoint assets on the map, enhancing transparency and efficiency.
"In this vision, we will no longer need paper and calculators when preparing work orders. We have a dream that during site inspection, all data can be uploaded into a system, eliminating the need for double data entry when we return to the office," said Engr. Del Castillo.
The company is also determined to provide real-time tracking of work order progress and maintenance history to each department.
"Our goal is for each department to have real-time tracking of the work order progress and maintenance history. We aim to enhance collaboration with our service partners by enabling them to access the list of work orders assigned to them and empowering them to provide updates on the progress of their assigned work orders. Our goal is to integrate Quality Control and contractors' billing into a single system. It is our dream to enhance asset tracking and management capabilities to ensure the organization's assets are utilized effectively.
Collaborative efforts with service partners will be strengthened, allowing them to access assigned work orders and provide real-time updates. Furthermore, the integration of Quality Control and contractors' billing into a single system is part of the plan, promising a more streamlined process. Asset tracking and management capabilities will also be enhanced to ensure optimal asset utilization.
The final piece of the vision involves robust reporting features to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, promising transparency and accountability in their operations.
"All of these envisioned improvements will be directed towards increasing employee productivity, lowering operational costs, and delivering efficient services to consumers," said Del Castillo.
This comprehensive approach signifies the commitment of More Power to provide top-notch service to its consumers.
This forward-thinking approach, Del Castillo said, is part of the WOAMS project, a collaboration with USAid ESP, highlighting the company's commitment to sustainable development and innovation in the energy sector.
The inauguration event was attended by various dignitaries, including Iloilo Provincial Administrator Dr. Raul Banias, Iloilo Board Member Rolly Distura, and Executive Assistant Jay Trefias of Iloilo City. It marked a significant step towards improving electricity services and ensuring energy security in Iloilo and beyond.
More Power is an electric power distribution company serving Iloilo City since 2019. <b>(SunStar Philippines)</b>