No more outages, co-op assures Davao consumers

DIGOS CITY, Philippines—Electricity consumers here got a relief from rotating brownouts hurting most Mindanao consumers due to repairs on power sources across the island and problems besetting other power generators.

Godofredo Guya, manager of the Davao del Sur Electric Coop (Dasureco), said there would no longer be any outage in the province and in nearby Davao Occidental because the cooperative started using its 15 modular generator sets.

The brownout-free days started March 28, he said, when the Energy Regulatory Commission approved Dasureco’s application for provisional authority to use the modular generator sets.

“Some areas would be expecting longer brownouts during the Lenten season, also because of reduced water supply in hydropower plants, but we will enjoy enough electricity,” Guya said.

He said the modular gensets have been compensating for what the National Grid Corp. could not deliver to Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental. Dasureco needs at least 41 megawatts for at least 300,000 consumers in the two provinces.

“We can now assure our consumers that we are free from rotational brownouts,” Guya said.

He said scheduled brownouts will be implemented only during line maintenance.

“We now have an extra capacity of 22 MW,” he said.

But Guya said Dasureco would like to make consumers understand that the use of the modular generator sets would increase rates.

He said while there is no transmission charge, Dasureco has to collect P1.57 more per kilowatt-hour to defray the costs of operating the modular generator sets, such as on fuel.

Guya said this would mean that from the old rate of P7.70, residential consumers would now have to pay about P9.27 per kilowatt-hour.

But he said the new charge—which will be reflected in the April billing—is still cheaper compared to buying kerosene or candles if long hours of outages are implemented.

To save on electricity bills, Guya said consumers heed tips on conserving energy, like unplugging appliances that they are not using. Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao