City Council to probe brownouts

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Some local officials in Iloilo City expressed frustrations over frequent brownouts under the new power distributor, MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power).

During their regular session on Tuesday, members of the City Council raised concerns on unscheduled power interruptions, particularly the 13-hour-long brownout in Mandurriao district over the weekend.

MORE Electric and Power Corp said it is looking forward to meeting the Iloilo City Council and shed light on recent brownouts in the city.

In a statement, MORE Power president Roel Castro said they see investigations and hearings in aid of legislation and other purposes as opportunities to be transparent in their operations, unlike the previous distribution utility which repeatedly snubbed the council before.

Castro was reacting to the move of City Councilor Rommel Duron, committee on public utilities chair, to summon MORE Power so it can explain the recent brownouts in the city after taking over electricity distribution services in February 2020.

“We welcome this development and we look forward to shedding light to the issues surrounding the recent power interruptions before the proper forum. MORE Power is grateful for the opportunity given by the Committee on Public Utilities to explain the reasons behind the seemingly relentless brownouts,” he added.

“We will take this opportunity to keep the honorable committee informed of the real status of the distribution facilities and the efforts being undertaken by MORE Power to rehabilitate the system. We will gladly participate in the committee’s investigation in aid of legislation so that the honorable City Council will be able to pass relevant ordinances that will benefit the Ilonggo consumers,” Castro said.

 

BROWNOUTS

Four of the 14 city councilors also expressed concern over the brownouts in the city during their regular session Tuesday.

According to Councilor Rommel Duron, long and unscheduled power interruptions in Iloilo City is deemed unacceptable especially in the middle of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“The city of Iloilo is gradually adjusting to the normalcy amid the health crisis. In the same manner, we are also adjusting to the normal power interruptions, under MORE Power. We know how it is important at this time of the pandemic to have a stable power supply and this failure of MORE to better serve these consumers was a frustration to us all,” he said in his privilege speech before the council.

Councilor Ely Estante also shared the same sentiments who said that frequent brownouts experienced by Ilonggo consumers almost every week is taking a toll on the economy and welfare of the residents.

“Every Saturday and Sunday, may 13-hour brownouts in the city of Iloilo because they are allegedly improving their facilities.  The number of hours nga wala kita kuryente, may effect sa economy of the Iloilo as well as the comfortability of the constituents of the city of Iloilo especially subong grabe kainit,” Estante lamented.

Meanwhile, Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo cannot help but compare MORE Power with the previous power distributor Panay Electric Co. (PECO) emphasizing that the Ilonggos are still suffering from the same problems during PECO’s time.

“Before they took over, MORE Power claimed that PECO has so many shortcomings in terms of frequent brown-outs and many other complaints. We are so glad that they have become the knight in shining armor as they claim but somehow I am dismayed and my heart trembles in frustration that the same thing is happening to the city of Iloilo,” Peñaredondo said.

According to Peñaredondo, MORE Power should provide immediate solutions to the frequent power interruptions to meet the demands of Iloilo City as a fast-growing city and the center of development in Western Visayas.

“We are calling the leaders of MORE Power, they should stand by their word that they came over to give better and efficient services to the people of the city of Iloilo City. We deserve an efficient service because Iloilo City is a fast-growing place if this matter cannot be solved by MORE, it will be another misfortune to the people of the city of Iloilo,” he lamented.

MORE Power has said that they are still investigating the possible reasons of the three major faults and loose connections in various points within Feeder 4 network of the Mandurriao substation which caused the 13-hour unscheduled brown-out in the said area.

Initial findings of the response team of MORE Power indicate the following abnormalities, detached primary line from pin insulator near J7 Plaza Hotel; overheated connector near Mango Tree Restaurant on Guzman Street; damaged suspension insulator along Oñate De Leon Street; damaged suspension insulator and primary jumper/dropping wire near McDonald’s Megaworld; and damaged primary line conductor across Chicken Sari-Sari.

MORE Power has also stressed that it is not discounting the possibility that there are individuals or groups who are out to discredit them through the series of mysterious trip-offs and related incidents having been a recurring problem ever since it took over the power distribution in the city of Iloilo.

The new power distributor also blamed the outdated and dilapidated facilities of PECO that are currently being fixed and restored by their personnel.

“Sabotage is possible but we cannot deny the fact that PECO facilities are already dilapidate from their poles, sagging lines, and overloaded transformers that were passed to us that is why the rehabilitation and upgrade of these equipment is now our topmost priority,” Jonathan Cabrera spokesperson of MORE Power said in a separate interview on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Councilor Jay Treñas questioned the statements of MORE Power on the dilapidated facilities of PECO.

Treñas said MORE Power should have put up their own facilities.

“This is not the time nga magpauyaya kita tani, because the people of Iloilo deserve more, and MORE Power promised more. Kon naghambal sila dilapidated ang PECO, ngaa ginbakal nila if they had finances to put up their own,” he stressed.

Members of the City Council agreed to conduct a fact-finding investigation on the frequent power interruptions and invite MORE Power to explain the issues hounding them.