Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22) — A resolution to determine the effects of the enhanced community quarantine on the country’s power sector and its consumers was filed by a senator on Wednesday.
Senate Energy Committee Chair Win Gatchalian filed Senate Resolution No. 361, which seeks to examine how consumers will be able to handle all electric bill payments at the end of the lockdown.
On April 15, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) had ordered distribution utilities (DUs) to provide a grace period for bill payments with due dates falling within the enhanced community quarantine period, from March 16 to April 30. No interest, penalties, fees, and other charges shall be incurred for not settling bills within the period.
The body also mandated a staggered payment scheme for consumers, who shall pay the total amount of electric bills in four equal monthly installments.
Gatchalian also seeks to know how the generation charge paid by customers will be affected, should DUs fail to meet their required minimum energy offtake, given that electricity demand dropped by around 30 percent during the lockdown compared to the same period in 2019, according to the Department of Energy.
All fee payments by DUs to power generation companies (gencos) were also suspended by the ERC within the lockdown.
With the suspension of both electric bill and DU payments, the senator wants to know if gencos can still sustain operations and prevent the possible worst-case scenario of shutting down, which could trigger power interruptions.
“Nakita natin sa pag-implement ng enhanced community quarantine ang pagbaba ng transport, industrial, at commercial activities sa bansa, na nagresulta sa pagbaba din ng pagkonsumo ng kuryent. Ang patuloy na pagbagsak ng konsumo ng kuryente ay maaring makaapekto sa energy security ng ating bansa,” said Gatchalian.
[Translation: With the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, we saw a decline in transport, industrial, and commercial activities in the country, which also resulted in a decline in current consumption. The continuous drop in electricity consumption might affect the country’s energy security.]
Gatchalian also said Congress must determine if they need to come up with a financial stimulus package for the power sector, “with the end goal of ensuring a continuous and reliable supply of energy, while protecting the consumers.”
