Court spares Lanao del Sur electric coop from power cut off due to P12B debts

Map of Lanao del Sur. INQUIRER.net

ILIGAN CITY — Cash-strapped Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Lasureco) has obtained a temporary reprieve from a local court against being cut off from the power grid due to its huge unpaid debts to the National Power Corporation (Napocor).

In a June 7 order, Executive Judge Wenida Papandayan of the Marawi City Regional Trial Court restrained the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) from disconnecting Lasureco from the power grid.

PSALM now runs Napocor.

Lasureco serves the electricity supply needs of Marawi City and the rest of Lanao del Sur province.

On June 1, NGCP district manager Linley Dajao wrote to Lasureco  general manager Nordjiana Dipatuan-Ducol that the power transmission company will be forced to disconnect the electric cooperative from the grid if it fails to settle its outstanding obligation with PSALM by 9 a.m. of June 8.

On May 31, Ma. Cynthia Manrique, Vice President and Head of the Revenue and Regulatory Affairs of the NGCP, served a “Notice of Suspension of Service” to Lasureco, per request of PSALM which is demanding the payment of P12,908,762,075.19 as of April 30, 2022, representing the cost of power purchases.

Lasureco reportedly posted P700,000 bond before the court on June 6 in connection with its prayer for a temporary reprieve.

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