NO POWER CUT IN BORACAY, ASSURES AKLAN COOPERATIVE

AKLAN’s power provider has assured its customers that there would be no power cut in Boracay once the six-month closure of the island resort takes effect next week. Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte approved an inter-agency task force’s recommendation to close the island to tourists for six months to pave the way for its rehabilitation beginning April 26. Alleviating woes, Akelco General Manager Alexis Regalado said in a statement, their operations will continue unhindered amid estimated operating losses during the closure. “I would like to clarify rumors that once Boracay is closed, Akelco will not be able to supply power to its franchise area. We are a distribution, electric cooperative, we are providing service to our consumers,” Regalado pointed out. He made the assurance despite estimates that power consumption will decline by 84 percent and 38 percent to the overall load profile of the power co- op once the shutdown becomes effective. Commenting on the matter, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said all options must be explored and the cost of the closure should not be passed on to consumers, adding that he is against it. Cusi has noted that the power supply and demand in Boracay is expected to decline during the closure and there would be “contracted supply that cannot be used.” One option is to sell the unused contracted supply to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, considering that the electricity supply in Visayas is thin. Another is to talk to generation companies (gencos) to adjust the contracted supply for the time being. “You tell the gencos to adjust the contracted supply for the period. This is an emergency situation and then you sell your supply to the others. It can be possible,” the Energy chief said. Cusi ordered Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella to talk to the electric cooperative on what their options are.