May 27, 2024, Monday
Diversion 21 Hotel, Iloilo City
Acting General Manager Engr. Edgar D. Diaz who sat as one of the resource persons represented CAPELCO in the Regional Press Conference convened by the Electric Cooperative Association of Region VI (ECAR VI) for the purpose of elucidating the underlying circumstances in the recent spike of power rates.
The event was participated by media organizations coming from the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental and the panel of resource persons were composed of representatives from 10 different electric cooperatives with franchises from these 6 provinces. PhilRECA Executive Director Atty. Janeene Depay-Colingan and IEMOP Director Allan Laniba also joined in the press conference.
In an official statement released by ECAR VI through its media organization LEXICON, it was explained that the spike was largely due to the increases in the generation charge paid to the power suppliers and the abnormal increase in the rates of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). While the power rates of the different electric cooperatives (ECs) differ, all ECs posted an increase in their rates especially on the generation charges in the electric bills. The Distribution, Supply, and Metering (DSM) Service Charges, the only component retained by ECs to finance their day-to-day operations, have remained unchanged for decades, the statement emphasized.
The ensuing open forum revealed that the increase in the price of electricity is commonly shared not only by the provinces in Western Visayas but by the entire country. It also revealed that the increase was not within the control of the ECs but largely influenced by the confluence of various factors affecting power generation.
Media organizations from Capiz that participated in the press conference were DYOW Bombo Radyo, RMN-DYVR, K5 News FM, Baskog Radyo, Todo Teleradyo Capiz and Capiz Times.
