Meralco to sign contract for Smartlight lamps

The Lopez-owned Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is expected to sign within the next two months a memorandum of agreement with proponents of Efficient Lighting Initiative (ELI) for the so-called Smarlight CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) Leasing Program.

ELI Philippines country director Alexander Ablaza said the agreement would involve some 500,000 to one million Smartlight CFL lamps to be sold to interested Meralco clients.

He said the Meralco customers would have an option to pay the Smartlight CFL in cash or on a staggered basis. "The payment could be included in their electric bills," Ablaza said.

Ablaza said they would seek approval of the Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) for this kind of payment scheme.

The agreement to be signed with Meralco is similar to that entered into with Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. (Cepalco) a few months ago.

Cepalco would involve the program that would allow at least 1,000 households under the Cepalco franchise area to avail themselves of the CFLs on installment basis.

Payment for the high-standard CFLs, which range from P365 to P370 each and those with ELI said, will be collected as part of the monthly electricity billing, under an item called CFL lease fee. – Donnabelle Gatdula