By Mae Singuay

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Benitez favors a possible joint venture that could improve the service of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco).

“If it would benefit the consumers of Bacolod, it is something worth supporting,” Benitez said.

There are reports of a proposed joint venture between Ceneco and MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power).

Benitez wants three specific conditions met.

“One, ang kuryente manubo. Two, wala brownout. Three, ang source of power naton is renewable, green power. Na-leverage ta ini sa mga investors para we would stand out kag diri sila makadto sa Bacolod,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ceneco acting general manager Arnel Lapore said they received unsolicited proposals from MORE Power and Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

However, he said these were referred to the National Electrification Administration (NEA) for comment and guidance.

Councilor Thaddeus Sayson, Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on appropriation and finance chairperson, also favors a joint venture, saying Ceneco’s problem is capitalization.

“Ang bottomline is service. Kung ano ang ikaayo sang ila [Ceneco] serbisyo, open ko ya,” Sayson said.

“Ang ginakulbaan ta nga kung mag-private, mahal ang kuryente. Pero ang makita ko subong sa Iloilo is the other way around,” he added.

MORE Power, Iloilo City’s sole power distributor, has invested over a billion pesos in three years to make electric service more efficient and reliable.

On the other hand, Power Watch Negros secretary general Wennie Sancho said if reports of a proposed joint venture between Ceneco and MORE Power are true, it only confirms their position that Ceneco is facing multifarious problems.

The local energy advocacy group earlier urged NEA to declare Ceneco an “ailing cooperative.”/MS, WDJ