NEA help on electric coops sought

CEBU, Philippines - New power industry player National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has sought the help of the National Electrification Administration in seeking possible solutions to problems with electric cooperatives, especially on the issue of non-payment and disconnection.

Dr. Walter W. Brown, NGCP President and CEO, said NEA has already helped some financially-ill electric cooperatives to settle their accounts through the agency’s short-term credit facility.

Brown made the appeal with the NEA in a recent meeting with NEA officials where he also committed to work closely with the agency to improve services to its direct customers such as electric cooperatives and other distribution utilities.

Since taking over the management of transmission operations from the government in January, NGCP has undertaken maintenance, rehabilitation, and upgrading of its major transmission lines and substation facilities nationwide.

Brown said the private management set-up allows the company to be “more flexible and responsive, especially when it comes to serving and addressing the concerns of customers.”

He said NGCP is cutting off bureaucratic procedures without compromising the necessary controls.

In a separate statement, Belinda Sales- Canlas, NGCP corporate communications officer for the Visayas, said NGCP will prioritize improvements in transmission operations and customer services to meet the demand for reliable and quality electricity.

Canlas said they have asked customers to immediately settle outstanding financial obligations to ensure continuous power transmission services.

As a private company, NGCP “needs the funds to carry out its mandate of expanding and maintaining the transmission grid and providing reliable electricity to consumers,” she said.

Canlas said NGCP is taking all appropriate actions to protect and uphold the interest of its stakeholders, including power customers who dutifully pay on time in order to maintain power reliability, security, and quality,

To enhance customer services, Canlas said NGCP also created a focused marketing group has to handle service agreements from contract negotiation to commercial connection, direct connection application services, account management, billing dispute settlement, and regular customer bulletins. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)