Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) should refund its consumers for over recoveries now, Wennie Sancho, Power Watch Negros Advocates Inc. secretary general, reiterated on Wednesday, June 29.
CENECO deferred the implementation of its refunds to its consumers for its net over-recoveries of P237,949,425.51 incurred from February 2004 to December 2017 while it awaits a copy of the Energy Regulatory Commission decision ordering it to do so.
“That is our money, they should return it. They promised to pay and did not do it… that is a very strong indication that they are taking the rights and welfare of the consumers for granted,” Sancho said.
Sancho, at a press conference, said CENECO must implement the Five Rs – rehabilitation, reforms, resignation, recall and refund, so that it can serve the welfare and common good of its consumer members.
Power Watch is calling for the rehabilitation of CENECO in order to restore its former capacity in terms efficiency, and for reforms to prevent abuses like over contracting of power.
It is also calling for the resignation of CENECO’s board of directors and top cooperative officials who were responsible for decisions that did not represent the interest of consumers, and the recall of its OIC general manager by the National Electrification Administration for his alleged failure to implement measures to mitigate the exorbitant prices of electricity.
“If this is not solved, we are calling for the intervention of the newly elected officials of Bacolod City,” Sancho said.
If mayor-elect Alfredo Benitez intervenes, so much the better, he said.*