Senate sets probe into Occidental Mindoro’s power supply anomaly
SENATE probers are poised to mount an in inquiry into Occidental Mindoro’s recent power supply anomaly, even as the province’s vital electric supply was already restored following a three-day blackout starting last June 25.
Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian said he was prompted to press for a Senate investigation in order to address the problem of power interruptions plaguing the province for several years now.
The lawmaker lamented that “without steady power supply, there are no business transactions and no income for the people to bring home.”
Reporting that “the locals are complaining to me” the senator stressed, “It is time we get to the bottom of the recurring power problem in the province.”
Acting to promptly address the issues, Gatchalian affirmed he is set to file a resolution to have the Senate direct the appropriate committee to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation, “highlighting the need for a supply reliability and power quality and to protect consumers from losses attributed to power outages.”
The senator reported he even had his personal experience of power interruption when he visited the province earlier during the last campaign period.
Reports reaching his office indicated that Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corp. (OMCPC) stopped supplying electricity to Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative Inc. (OMECO) last June 25 after its power supply agreement to the electric cooperative has already expired.
However, the senator’s office was told, “Power supply resumed last Monday.”
At the same time, he noted that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has provisionally approved a power supply agreement (PSA) between OMECO and OMCPC to augment the power supply issue and end the lingering rotational outages. OMECO is the electric cooperative servicing the franchise area of Occidental Mindoro with a total of 240,887 household connections.
The senator voiced lingering concerns that unless a lasting solution is found, the province will be left behind, saying: “Kung hindi mabibigyan ng solusyon ang problemang ito, mapag-iiwanan ang probinsya ng Occidental Mindoro. Malaking bagay ang pagkakaroon ng tuloy-tuloy na suplay ng kuryente, may pandemya man o wala.”