An electric cooperative (EC) in Davao Oriental has committed to improve its distribution facilities in a bid to provide better service to its power consumers in the province.
The Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DORECO), through Board Resolution No. 110 received by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) on July 1, said it would continue its efforts to resolve power issues within its franchise area.
DORECO admitted that its coverage area is experiencing frequent low power voltage as it is located at the load end of southern Mindanao. The EC said it has already requested the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) to improve the voltage level in the province.
DORECO is seeking financial assistance from the NEA in the form of loan amounting to P62.222 million.
To address this situation, the power distribution utility announced that the NGCP has already laid down its development plan to construct a 138 kV transmission line by 2024.
While waiting for the establishment of the 138 kV transmission line, DORECO embarked on an embedded 11-megawatt diesel fired power plant, which is expected to be completed this year, in partnership with a private company.
In addition, it also installed an automatic voltage regulator in Barangay Roxas, Gov. Generoso, Davao Oriental in December 2019 to address the low voltage concerns in the towns of San Isidro and Gov. Generoso.
DORECO also energized its 10 MVA Substation in Baganga in December 2019 to improve the distribution services in the towns of Baganga, Boston, Caraga, Cateel, and Manay.
“Through the years, the entire DORECO workforce has been doing its best in ensuring power reliability and service efficiency in the delivery of power services within the province of Davao Oriental,” the power co-op said.
Financial support will be used for the immediate procurement of equipment and devices.
It also filed an application with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the approval of its capital expenditure (CapEx) projects in March 2015. Its CapEx was approved by the ERC in October 2018 in the amount of P176.919 million.
For this reason, DORECO is seeking financial assistance from the NEA in the form of loan amounting to P62.222 million. The cooperative said the financial support will be used for the immediate procurement of equipment and devices “to ensure the continuity and sustainability” of its operations.
“The acquisition of the equipment and devices in our continued pursuit to modernize the DORECO’s power distribution system will certainly benefit the member-consumer-owners and will attract more investors in the province of Davao Oriental,” the resolution read.