Albay town power consumers given 2 months to settle bills

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — The National Power Corp. (NPC) and the Albay Power and Energy Corp. (APEC) have been ordered to give power consumers in Rapu-Rapu town enough time to settle their unpaid bills amounting to P32 million.

The Department of Energy (DOE) also ordered the power firms to continue supplying electricity in the town.

Lesley Capus, chief of the APEC customer support department, said the company welcomed the proposed solution of the DOE for the consumers to settle their obligations.

The DOE directed the power firms to agree to a settlement mechanism set for the Rapu-Rapu power consumers, Capus said.

Ordered to craft and agree to the scheme were the APEC, NPC, National Electrification Administration and Albay Electric Cooperative as well as the local government of Rapu-Rapu.

Capus clarified that the 60-day continuous power supply on the island town does not mean the consumers are not compelled to settle their unpaid bills.

“The DOE also told the APEC to intensify its collection campaign within the 60-day period,” Capus told The STAR over the weekend.

He said they would start disconnecting households and establishments that would fail to settle their unpaid bills within the 60-day moratorium.

“We will intensify the disconnection of those with big arrearages and apprehend those involved in illegal use of electricity,” Capus said.

He appealed to the local government and police to help the company implement its disconnection and apprehension campaign.

The company would wait for the final and specific details of the DOE proposal before it would take any action on the matter, Capus said.