In a 24-page urgent motion for reconsideration filed on March 9, Peco asked the Energy Regulator Commission (ERC) to reinstate its provisional Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) and revoke the provisional authority to rival More Power Electric Corp. (More Power).
In a March 5 resolution, the ERC had revoked the provisional CPCN issued to Peco after it determined that More Power has 鈥渆stablished or acquired its own distribution system.鈥�
The ERC also granted provisional authority to More Power to operate its distribution network.
A CPCN is an authority granted by government agencies, including the ERC, as a permit to operate public utilities.
In its motion submitted by the Divina Law firm, Peco said More Power 鈥渄oes not possess both the financial capacity and technical know-how to operate the electric distribution system鈥� in the city.
It said More Power鈥檚 claim that it had taken full control and operation of the distribution facilities in Iloilo was 鈥渋naccurate and misleading.鈥�
Peco cited the order of the Iloilo Regional Trial Court Branch 23 which directed the two parties on the implementation of the writ of possession covering expropriated distribution assets of Peco. before turning these over to More Power.
In the addendum, Judge Emerald Requina-Contreras said that upon installation, More Power 鈥渕ay deploy their personnel to man and oversee the substations鈥ut the operation should still be handled by Peco personnel who has the technical expertise.鈥�
More Power has been insisting that they have complied with the court orders.
In a four-page urgent ex-parte motion filed on March 6 at the Iloilo RTC Branch 23, Peco asked the court to direct court sheriffs with the assistance of police personnel to install Peco personnel in all substations and facilities and limit More Power personnel in these facilities as 鈥渕ere observers.鈥�
Before More acquired its franchise through Republic Act 11212, Peco was the sole power provider In Iloilo City for 95 years, tracing back to the post-World War II rehabilitation efforts. More entered the energy industry just two years ago.
Meanwhile, power consumers in Iloilo City are outraged by the brownouts taking place, just one week after More took over operations of five of Peco鈥檚 substations.
In an advisory released on More鈥檚 Facebook page, the company noted that it took more than two hours to finish the restoration of unscheduled power interruptions in the areas of Brgy. Santo Ni帽o, Brgy. Santo Ni帽o Norte, Calaparan in Arevalo district, and Calumpang in the Molo district.
More attributes the interruption to a 鈥渕omentary line fault.鈥�
I-Konsumidor, a group of power consumers in Iloilo City, believes that the 鈥減ower struggle鈥� between More and Peco leaves consumers on the losing end.
鈥淲e must take note that More Power鈥檚 franchise in Republic Act 11212 provides that Peco must first settle its obligations to the consumers before wrapping up its operations,鈥� the group said. 鈥淲e cannot rely on More because it is not bound to settle such obligations to us when it eventually takes over the distribution services.鈥�
The group also expressed their concern regarding the basis for More to bill consumers.
鈥淢ore is running the facilities, but Peco is the one who has contracts with power generators. These contracts cannot be assigned to More,鈥� said the group.
鈥淚f More will start billing us after two months, what will be the basis of their rates? We don鈥檛 know because there was no application nor did we attend or even learn of any public hearing on their application for provisional authority to enter into a Power Supply Agreement,鈥� added the group.