Energy sales of electric cooperatives (ECs) rose by 12 percent in the second quarter of the year amid the pandemic to 5,988 megawatts (MW) from 5,337 MW in the first quarter.
Edgardo Masongsong, administrator of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said consumption by the residential sector went up 9 percent to 3,693 megawatt hours (MWh) from 2,806 MWh in the first quarter.
Sales in the commercial ial sector fell by six percent from 1,165 MWh to 982 MWh as the industrial sector went down by three percent from 1,000 MWh to 957 MWh; and public buildings and other consumers decreasing by one percent from 366 MWh to 356 MWh.
ECs’ total revenues went up by 9 percent to P54.074 billion from P49.672 billion in the first quarter.
NEA said cooperatives in Aklan, Benguet, Palawan, Bohol and Siargao Island which are highly dependent on tourism have experienced drops in sales, as a result of quarantine protocols.
The Aklan Electric Cooperative registered the biggest drop at 20 percent in MWh sales which is equivalent to P149 million loss in revenues as the Benguet Electric Cooperative also posted a double-digit decline at 18 percent or P145 million loss.
Meanwhile, sales of the Palawan Electric Cooperative fell by nine percent or P53 million while the Bohol I Electric Cooperative experienced a six percent decline in sales or P50 million with the Siargao Electric Cooperative suffering an eight percent drop in sales or P7 million loss.
