What to expect during SP probe on Iloilo City blackouts

By Alex P. Vidal

 

“Of the various branches of electrical investigation, perhaps the most interesting and immediately the most promising is that dealing with alternating currents.”—Nikola Tesla

 

AT this early, we already anticipate what might happen on June 30, 2020 when the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) in Iloilo City opens up an investigation “in aid of legislation” on the frequent power outages experienced by Ilonggo consumers these past months.

MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), the main cast in the hullaballoo, definitely won’t be there just to absorb all the brickbats and catch all the uppercuts and roundhouse kicks.

“In aid of MORE Power”, the Department of Energy (DOE) might pick up the cudgels and help justify the causes of power interruptions like the way it explained everything in the media.

We can already anticipate, in fact, the DOE telling the SP Committee on Public Public Utilities, chaired by Councilor Romel Duron, that the successive power blackouts occurred “because MORE Power needed complete maintenance work at substation 2 or the Jaro substation of the electric distribution facility.”

The same excuses and justification.

 

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We won’t be surprised if MORE Power, or even the DOE, will go to the extent of pinning the blame on Panay Electric Company (PECO), which controlled and was responsible for the substation’s maintenance until March 2020 when MORE Power took over the facility by virtue of a court order.

MORE Power had claimed earlier that the Jaro substation “had not undergone maintenance for the past six or seven years when it was still under PECO’s charge.”

PECO, of course, won’t allow itself to be used as the punching bag and the scapegoat in the imbroglio and might even take the opportunity to step up its indictment of MORE Power for the seemingly abysmal services to the consumers which happened during the pandemic lockdown.

It will be a pingpong match anew between the two rival electric companies.

 

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And if lawyers from both parties will be allowed to join the fray, the SP committee hearing could be transformed into another venue for MORE Power and PECO’s display of supremacy and authority.

In terms of management capability and resources, MORE Power and PECO will try to out-duke each other in order to avoid the ax of culpability and public rebuke.

Councilors Eduardo Penaredondo and Ely Estante are among those who have openly expressed displeasure on the 13-hour power blackouts that almost occurred on a regular basis especially during the weekend.

They are expected to empty their cylinders during the committee hearing and won’t take sides.

The aldermen are so worried about the consequences in the metropolis’ tourism and economy.

The bottom line here should be accountability and efficient services to the consumers.

We are also weighing the problem of successive and long periods of power blackouts and its impact on the local economy especially now that everything seems to be in tatters due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Which is why there is a need to conduct the committee investigation in order to iron out some kinks and resolve whatever inefficiency and negligence committed by parties concerned.

 

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New York, the place where I currently live, is now inching its way to the last two of the four phases in the reopening of the economy.

After the Empire State implemented blanket shutdown orders in March that closed stores, shuttered offices and curtailed business at restaurants and bars, state officials set up a gradual process to restart the state’s economy and ease restrictions.

Regions of New York that show they have been able to effectively keep the virus contained can reopen sectors of the economy in four phases, under the state’s plan.

Still, all phases of the reopening require us here to adhere to social distancing guidelines, including wearing masks or face coverings in crowded public spaces, on public or private transportation or in for-hire vehicles.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)