By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

After Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ceneco) President Roy Cordova held a “transparency meeting,” Ceneco General Manager Sulpicio Lagarde revealed yesterday, Ceneco plans to increase power rates by 1.4 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for residential consumers in July.

Rates are already at P9.90 kWh, up from P9.76 kWh in June, Lagarde explained.

He credited the increase to a power deficiency, which he said originated from maintenance performed by the Korean Electric Power Corporation-Salcon Power Corporation (Kepco-SPC) and Palm Concepcion, the companies that provide Ceneco with its base load capacity.

Lagarde also said the utility co-op plans to file a protest against the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), following rotating brownouts, or “manual load dropping,” resulting from the recent 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Leyte.

The Ceneco official noted, while they plan on filing a protest, he has not ruled out the possibility of filing a formal case.

Lagarde explained, Ceneco may be able to file a case because they are contracted with NGCP for 119 MW, however, with manual load dropping, that number dropped to 109 MW.

He also said they are coordinating with other power cooperatives in the Visayas to join the protest.

Meanwhile, Michele Visera of NGCP said they will respond to the issue raised in a “proper forum.”/DGB, WDJ