The Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI) has welcomed the additional baseload power secured by the province’s two electric cooperatives, saying it will help meet consumers’ growing electricity demand.
NOCCI president Edward Du said in a Friday interview that the additional supply for Negros Oriental I Electric Cooperative (NORECO I) and Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative (NORECO II) is a positive development, but it may not be sufficient once major investors establish operations in the province.
“Having a total of 5.2 MW (Megawatts) for both electric cooperatives in the province is a big help for now, an immediate answer to our power woes,” Du said.
“It’s like a shot in the arm where your current situation is immediately addressed, but it’s not enough and our troubles are not yet over,” he added.
He lauded the government’s intervention, saying the business sector looks forward to more answers on the energy crisis in the Visayas and Mindanao.
NORECO I will receive 1.6 MW, while NORECO II will get 3.6 MW, as part of more than 24 MW of geothermal baseload power allocated to 10 electric cooperatives in the Visayas under 15-year power supply agreements with First Gen.
The agreements were secured through the National Electrification Administration’s Competitive Selection Process for the Luzon and Visayas Electric Cooperatives Aggregation, which consolidates the power requirements of 29 electric cooperatives to strengthen their bargaining position and secure competitive electricity rates and supply terms.
Du also urged NORECO II to address the low-voltage issue raised by NOCCI and other business groups, including the Negros Oriental Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association and the Negros Oriental Divers Association.
The power supply agreements cover 19 electric cooperatives in Luzon and 10 in the Visayas and involve six power generation companies.*PNA
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