CAMIGUIN (PIA)—In an effort to address the growing concerns of the public over the power situation on the island, the Provincial Government of Camiguin held the Camiguin Energy Summit at the province's Convention Center, March 3.
Based on House Committee Report 1333 filed by Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus ‘XJ’ Romualdo, the power summit focused on resolving key issues associated with Camiguin Electric Cooperative Inc. (CAMELCO) such as high power rates due to over-contracting, ballooning debts and financial losses, and its poor and unreliable service to consumers.
Referencing R.A. 9136 or ‘The Department of Energy Act of 1992’ and other relevant government issuances, a formal performance assessment on the cooperative’s functional aspects from 2019 to 2020 was done by the Department of Energy (DOE) through the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (DOE-EPIMB).
Cause of power outages
It was observed that power outages on the island were mostly due to trees and vegetation. CAMELCO has also not established protocols for power outages and load dropping in accordance with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
That said, CAMELCO was advised to increase efforts to minimize outages, develop a preventive maintenance plan, and a load dropping protocol.
DOE-EPIMB Division Chief Luningning G. Baltazar said CAMELCO must also come up with an enhanced Distribution Development Plan that incorporates system enhancements and capital expenditure requirements. She added that the goal of CAMELCO’S development plan should be to continuously provide secure, sufficient, reliable and reasonably-priced electricity to its consumers.
For its information technology aspect, the DOE suggests CAMELCO to pursue ISO certification and consider data centralization, capacity building, and eventual turn-over of IT systems management. At present, CAMELCO’s non-centralized IT system focuses only on meter reading, billing, and collection under contract.
CAMELCO also operates a diesel plant to provide power on the island. When asked about the increase in electricity costs in the past month, CAMELCO Acting General Manager Rovir Ian M. Golosino said this is due to the increase in fuel prices felt across the country.
“[Hinungdan ani] ang nagtaas nga fuel cost, so pagpaandar ana sa diesel plant, mahal gyud. Ang impact karon, magmahal gyud ang generation cost,” Golosino said. He adds that other electric cooperatives in Mindanao and in the country are also faced with the same difficulty.
(The reason for this is the rising cost of fuel, which also affects the cost of operating our diesel plant. The impact is mostly felt in the increase of our generation cost)
Enhancing power service
In response to the suggestions offered by the DOE, Golosino said CAMELCO will be integrating an automatic voltage regulator in its systems to address and prevent further system losses and provide reliable power.
He added that they will also be coordinating with municipal authorities in preventive clearing operations of trees and vegetation.
Furthermore, he ensured that CAMELCO is considering all options to improve their services and to ensure stable electricity supply, especially in time for the 2022 National and Local Elections.
CAMELCO is currently operating under a 50-year franchise term set to expire, November 23, 2033. It currently provides service and electricity to over 25,006 consumers in the municipalities of Mambajao, Catarman, Mahinog, Sagay, and Guinsiliban. (GDAndres/PIA-10/Camiguin)
