The massive clearing of power distribution lines and meter clustering aimed at improving the system reliability and efficiency, as well as the delivery of electricity to end-users in the province of Occidental Mindoro are nearly complete, thanks to the electric cooperatives (ECs) that pitched in to help.
The Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (OMECO) has been facing system reliability, power quality and efficiency issues, affecting thousands of member-consumer-owners (MCOs), businesses and industries within its franchise area.
To address these concerns, NEA organized and mobilized Task Force Kapatid.
To address these concerns, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) organized and mobilized Task Force Kapatid, similar to what was created for the rehabilitation of the power distribution networks of Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) and Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO).
NEA Deputy Administrator for Technical Services Artis Nikki Tortola said the recently mobilized task forces in charge to assist OMECO, PALECO and ABRECO were different from the ones organized by the state-run agency in the past.
“The previous task forces were created to help those electric cooperatives affected by calamities. But this one is created to help the electric cooperative improve its services, in terms of reliability, efficiency and power quality,” Tortola said.
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong said frequent power interruptions within the Occidental Mindoro co-op’s franchise area due to various reasons hampers its operational performance, prompting the agency to mobilize Task Force Kapatid OMECO.
On August 22, he sent separate letters to select power co-ops from Luzon and Visayas, and invited them to be part of Task Force Kapatid OMECO. Their primary objective is to conduct massive line clearing activities and meter clustering of residential consumers in the province.
As of October 13, Engr. Edward Domingo, the NEA designated technical assist to OMECO, said the task force has already finished clearing 871 spans (approximately 70 kilometers) of distribution lines or 79.25 percent of the 1,099 target spans.
With respect to meter clustering, the task force has achieved 78.72 percent or 492 cluster boxes out of 625 target, Domingo said.
Members of the task force are Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BISELCO), Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CENECO), Guimaras Electric Cooperative, Inc. (GUIMELCO), Iloilo I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ILECO I), Iloilo III Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ILECO III), Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO), Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NONECO), Negros Oriental I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NORECO I), Peninsula Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PENELCO), Romblon Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ROMELCO), Tarlac I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TARELCO I), Tarlac II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TARELCO II), and Zambales II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ZAMECO II).