Transco to pull plug on Albay over P112M in unpaid bills

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—The National Transmission Corp. (Transco) will cut off power in Albay any time Tuesday after the Albay Electric Cooperative here failed to settle its power bills for the month of December and January, according to Paul Lopez, acting general manager of the cooperative.

Lopez said they have received a notice from the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. tating that the local electric cooperative have to settle an outstanding account of P112.6 million for electricity used in the months of December (P54 million) and January (P58.6 million) or Aleco will face disconnection.

He said the Aleco management was only able to raise P20 million as partial payment for the December bill and promised to settle the balance of P34 million by March 23, but this arrangement was turned down by PEMC.

The Albay Mayor’s League, led by Mayor Gerry Jaucian of Daraga town passed a resolution on Monday urging the PEMC to defer for the meantime its planned disconnection, citing that the Aleco is still finding ways to settle the account.

The resolution also asked the PEMC for reconsideration because of the scheduled Philippine Councilors League national convention set on March 15-17 in this city.