CENECO congressional inquiry set on November 29

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Lone district Rep. Greg Gasataya said Friday that the House of Representatives Committee on Energy is set to hear an inquiry on the complaints against the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) on Nov 29, 2022.

The solon said he was informed of the date by Committee on Energy chairperson Marinduque lone district Congressman Lord Allan Jay Velasco.

Gasataya is calling on consumers and energy advocates to support the inquiry in order to find answers to CENECO’s arguments and issues.

Issues currently plaguing the CENECO consumers are incessant power outages and high electric rates.

The inquiry was a result of House Resolution 475 and calls from Negros Occidental 3rd district Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez to investigate CENECO.

Earlier, CENECO president Jojit Yap said the probe was a welcome move.

But Yap said the House and even the Senate should look into the bigger picture, particularly of what are really the causes of high electricity rates.

“This is a national problem affecting all electric coops that they should address. We in the ECs are hoping that this would lead to congress and senate review of the EPIRA Law and other national policies (which are of their own making) that have greatly affected the consumers,” she said.

She added that the issue of frequent power interruptions is a technical concern not just with the electric coops. This also involves the NGCP and other stakeholders of transmission and distribution lines.