Ailing elect The number of ailing electric cooperatives (ECs) will continue to decline on better finances and lower systems losses.
The National Electrification Administration (NEA) expects the number of problematic ECs will be slashed to five from the current eight, which is also an improvement from 12 last year.
Edgardo Masongsong, NEA administrator, said among the ECs that are still considered ailing include the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative; Basilan Electric Cooperative; Tawi-tawi Electric Cooperative; Masbate Electric Cooperative; Sulu Electric Cooperative; Albay Electric Cooperative; Ticao Island Electric Cooperative; and the Abra Electric Cooperative.
Masongsong assured the list of ailing ECs will be lessened within the year including those in Ticao Island, Sulu and Masbate.
“A lot of ECs are now improving their management and operations but the issue of some problematic ECs are really peace and order, accessibility and poverty… Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to put up lines even if the wires are free, some consumers cannot really pay their monthly dues,” Masongsong added.
Last year, NEA proposed the inclusion of energization level in determining the overall operational performance assessment of ECs nationwide as some cooperatives garner high ratings despite having low energization levels.
In 2012, the agency introduced a key performance standards in grading ECs which covered financial, institutional, technical and reportorial compliances as part of the overall evaluation of their operational performance.
From 2013 to 2017, NEA’s rules were revised to add financial and operational parameters to serve as basis for intervention on ailing ECs.
