‘Lifeline’ power consumers granted free electricity use for two months

AROUND 3 million “poor” consumers of electric cooperatives nationwide will have free electricity for two months. During an online news briefing on Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said “lifeline consumers,” or those consuming less than 50 kilowatt per-hour (kwh), will not be charged for their electricity use for the March and April billing period under the Pantawid Liwanag program of electric cooperatives.

He, however, noted that the benefit will not apply for the electricity bills which are already covered by the one-month grace period for bill payment imposed by the government due to the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis.

Nograles said the National Electrification Administration (NEA),

Philippine Rural Electric Cooperative (Philreca), and other electric cooperative launched the program as part of itscontributionforgovernmentefforts to address the impact of Covid-19.

“Thank you NEA, Philreca and the other electric co-ops for your help and contribution,” Nograles said. Enough supply

IN a related development, the Inter-agency

Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), Nograles also reported there will be sufficient energy and water supply in Metro Manila for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon.

Citing a report from the Department of Energy (DOE), he said Luzon has an available capacity of 11,795 megawatt (MW), which is greater than the actual peak demand of 7,323 MW in the country’s largest island.

“This means we currently have an excess capacity of 4,742 MW. We still have excess supply of electricity in Luzon,” Nograles said.

Likewise, he said the National Water Resources Board reported it has given the full water allocation of 46 cubic meters per second to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System from the Angat Reservoir until April 30, 2020 to ensure the continuous supply of water in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“So we can expect there will be constant supply of water in NCR in the middle of the [extended] enhanced community quarantine, or ECQ,” Nograles said.