Senator Win Gatchalian assured Sunday, September 26, that the Senate is acting on the problem caused by the damaged National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’s (NGCP) submarine cable between Cebu and Negros that has driven up power rates by an average of P1.60 per kWh.
Gatchalian, who spoke at the Central Negros Occidental Cooperative virtual 43rd Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA), said the Senate Committee on Energy that he chairs has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy to act on the matter.
“Our position in the committee is that the increased rates should not be passed on to the consumers,” he said.
Whoever destroyed the submarine cable should be made to pay, he said.
The performance bond of the Department of Public Works and Highways contractor can be used to answer for the damage, he said. The Cebu-Negros submarine cable was damaged during the amphibious dredging at the mouth of Bio-os River in Barangay Pondol, Amlan, Negros Oriental.
There should be a thorough investigation by the proper authorities on whether the damage was caused by negligence or was an accident, Gatchalian said.
The Senate may also call a hearing or consultative meeting to resolve the matter, he said.
Chairperson Agnes Devanadera of the Energy Regulatory Commission earlier directed the Philippines Electricity Spot Market Corp. to stop the collection from its customers of congestion charges, and other applicable charges that have driven consumer rates up until the complete restoration and operationalization of the transmission line, or until a more applicable pricing and settlement solution is ordered by the ERC.
Charges attributable to the line outage collected for the billing months of June to August should be refunded to the customers, Devanadera said.*