NASECORE Seeks JCPC to Exercise Oversighr Functions Versus Brownouts

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc. urged the Joint Congressional Power Commission to exercise its oversight functions to determine the real cause behind the recent brownouts and penalize those responsible for it.

Nasecore--the group that dragged Manila Electric Company to the Supreme Court and won the P30.2-billion refund for consumers--said the JCPC should exercise its oversight functions and use its subpoena powers to determine the true cause of the outages and recommend the prosecution and imposition of penalties on those responsible.

Nasecore is aiming for a party-list seat in Congress under the name Kontra Brown Out.

According to former energy undersecretary and Kontra Brown Out Party List nominee Pete Ilagan, “Brown outs are illegal because the law requires quality, reliable, and secured power supply.”

In a position paper submitted to Senate energy Committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian, Kontra Brown Out said the DoE with the Energy Regulatory Commission, should conduct regular physical audits of the country’s power plants and other assets to fulfil its mandating of ensuring reliable and stable power in the country.

Ilagan said consumers pay a monthly transmission charge that goes to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, which is responsible for procuring and contracting ancillary services to ensure the security of electricity supply.

He said the ERC allowed the imposition of fees for ancillary services to ensure that it’s operation is viable.

Ilagan had started an audit of the power supply contract of private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives before he resigned last year.