The Amlig Kuryente convenors on Thursday, September 8, questioned why Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) allegedly rejected at least five lower priced power sources at the expense of its consumers.
How did CENECO arrive at the P10.74/KwH rate? Amlig Kuryente convenors former Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. and Christian Weber asked at a press conference at the Negros Press Club in Bacolod City.
Why did the CENECO Board of Directors (CENECO-BOD) and management contract an “Emergency Power Supply Agreement” of 40-megawatts priced at P10.74/KwH by Palm Concepcion Power Corp. and reject at least five probable “lower priced” sources, Gamboa asked.
“What is so special about Palm Concepcion to the CENECO-BOD and management, one of the highest bidders in last year’s Competitive Selection Process (CSP), for being the most favored while the ‘lowest bid prices’ were out rightly rejected?” Gamboa asked.
More than 1,000 persons have signed the Amlig Kuryente petition asking the president, Senate and city government officials to investigate and prosecute criminally the CENECO BOD and management for signing an alleged illegal contract and extensions that have led to high cost of electricity and unexplained brownouts, among others, he said.
CENECO president Jojit Yap has denied that they had signed any illegal contract or extensions.
If the CENECO-BOD and management claim that all their contracts and actions are legal, then all the necessary documents should be made available for the scrutiny of its members-consumers-owners, Gamboa said.
He said the misery of the CENECO members-consumers-owners started when the CENECO-BOD rejected a P3.29/KwH winning CSP price last year.*