Press Release - Poe seeks OK of distribution utilities franchises for stable power

Sen. Grace Poe has called on her colleagues in the Senate to give their nod to the franchise bids of three power distribution utilities in the provinces of Leyte, Romblon and Negros Occidental to avert brownouts.

Poe, chairperson of the committee on public services, sponsored in plenary three bills that would grant franchises to power distribution utilities Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II), Romblon Electric Cooperative (Romelco), and Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC).

"As the heat index in the country remains dangerously high and is projected to continue rising at the peak of the summer season and amid El Niño, there is no more fitting time than today, to present, for the Senate's consideration, three measures that will ensure our power consumers continued access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy," Poe said.

"Lalong lalo na sa gitna ng malawakan at dumadalas na brownout at power interruptions sa iba't ibang parte ng bansa na patuloy na nagpapahirap sa ating mga kababayan," she added.

The senator stressed that the demand is high for distribution utilities to fulfill their obligation as public service providers as they deliver electricity to the end users.

The franchise application of Leyeco II, contained in House Bill No. 6295, seeks to continue providing power service to the residents of Tacloban City, Babatngon and Palo in Leyte.

A mega large, triple 'A' rated and multi-awarded electric cooperative, Leyeco II has consistently topped the National Electrification Administration's (NEA) overall performance assessment of electric cooperatives since 2015.

It is also classified as a Green cooperative for meeting all performance standards and parameters including systems loss, System Average Interruption Frequency Index, and System Average Interruption Duration Index ratings. It also boasts having the lowest power rate per kilowatt hour among electric cooperatives in Region 8.

Meanwhile, under House Bill No. 9154, Romelco seeks to include in its franchise area the island municipalities of Banton, Cocuera, and Concepcion in addition to its existing coverage in Romblon's capital and Sibuyan Island under its unexpired NEA franchise.

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