EXPANDING to more areas will depend on the demand for electricity from consumers in Iloilo province, according to the top official of MORE Electric and Power Corp. or MORE Power.
Roel Z. Castro, president and chief executive officer of MORE Power, said the expansion of the company’s coverage area was led by the “clamor of the consumers.”
“Initially, what we’ve actually set aside [is] about P1.5 billion for private and secondary [connections],” Mr. Castro said when asked about the amount of investments allocated for expansion.
“I could say that could already connect us with the 15 areas. But it will really depend on the take up of demand,” he added.
Republic Act No. 11918, which lapsed into law in 2022, allowed MORE Power to expand its coverage to the second and fourth districts of Iloilo, which cover 15 municipalities and one city.
These are the municipalities of Alimodian, Leganes, Leon, New Lucena, Pavia, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Zarraga, Anilao, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, Dumangas and San Enrique, and the component city of Passi.
Mr. Castro said that the power distribution utility is waiting for the issuance of the certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Energy Regulatory Commission to start electric service to the consumers in the areas.
“Right now, we are not yet looking to other expansion yet because we will first finish Bacolod,” Mr. Castro said.
Primelectric Holdings, Inc., a sister company of MORE Power, has a proposed joint venture with the Central Negros Electric Cooperative or Ceneco, which has more than 214,000 member-consumers in its franchise area.
Mr. Castro has said the joint venture called Negros Electric and Power Co. (NEPC) is targeting to invest P2.1 billion as capital expenditure to put up “cutting-edge” and “top-of-the-line systems” for better consumer experience.
He also said that NEPC is committed to achieving 100% electrification in the franchise area by 2028, in line with the government’s agenda of achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera