Pormal na naghain ng reklamo ang isang koalisyon sa Iloilo City sa Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) para atasan ang More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) na i-refund sa power consumers ang may P20 milyon na umano’y labis na system loss charges.
Sinabi ng Koalisyon Bantay Kuryente (KBK) na ang kanilang hakbang nitong Biyernes ay kaalinsabay sa aksyon ng Panay Electric Company (PECO) na naghain din ng kaparehong reklamo dahil sa umano’y paniningil ng MORE ng system loss charges na lagpas sa 6.25% cap na ipinag-uutos ng ERC.
Sinabi ni Marcelo Cacho, head of Public Engagement and Government Affairs ng PECO, na kung halimbawa umabot sa P0.7162/kWh ang system loss noong Mayo ng MORE at ito ay i-multiply sa monthly average total power consumption ng Iloilo City, aabot umano ito sa estimated 54,000 MWh. Kung susumahin ang naturang halaga ay papalo sa P41 milyon o mahigit sa P13 milyon kumpara sa baseline ng PECO na nasa P28 milyon lamang.
At dahil nagtuloy-tuloy aniya, ang billing cycle na ito ng MORE hanggang noong buwan ng Hulyo ay aabot na sa P20.9 milyon ang diumano’sy unfarir charges na nakolekta ng MORE sa power consumers.
“Upon showing that the systems loss had reached 12.85% for the month of May, sabi ni Cacho, 12.85% already is way over the systems loss cap, the 0.7612 was a huge jump from their previous bill which was around 47 cents, the mark-up is close to 40%. ERC must make them accountable and hold them to answer that question,” paliwanag ni Cacho.
“The ERC should exercise its authority on MORE and investigate these matters. All these claims we are throwing—-systems loss, power outages—we are getting these from MORE’s own data. From their own Facebook page and bills. Based on previous answers of MORE, they are just denying it and saying that the figures are bloated. But every screen shot of their Facebook is sent to ERC, ” dagdag pa nito.
Suportado naman ni PECO legal counsel Atty. Estrella Elamparo ang panawagan ni Cacho para sa isang independent ERC inquiry, kasabay nang paggiit na dapat mapatunayan kung talagang may katotohanan ang mga alegasyon laban sa MORE.
“If it is proven to the ERC that MORE is indeed overcharging, that should be considered a very serious violation and Congress should look into the franchise of MORE.,” she stressed. “We are asking the ERC to confirm, and if found to be true, this is tantamount to outright stealing from the people of Iloilo, tantamount to stealing to the tune of over P20 million every month, or more than P200 million every year.”
Una na ring sinabi ng tagapagsalita ng MORE Power na si Jonathan Cabrera na mali ang pagkuwenta o computation ni KBK representative Allen Aquino sa system loss nang hindi aniya isinama ang transmission charges.