The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) lauded the Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative and a number of Electric Cooperatives (ECs) that do not collect Bill Deposits from its customers.
As a result of the recent audit and evaluation conducted by the ERC, it found out that Nuvelco is among those electric cooperatives not collecting bill deposits as compared with Meralco and other neighboring distribution utilities. Based from records, ERC found that the distribution utilities, both private utilities and ECs, have collected an aggregate amount of approximately PhP26.280 Billion as of 23 January 2019 as Bill Deposits.
From the words of ERC Chairperson and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera, she emphasized that “These Electric Cooperatives must be emulated and lauded for truly living up to the cooperative and “bayanihan” spirits which has been the inspiration in establishing these electric cooperatives.”
Bill deposits are collected from electricity consumers applying for new and/or additional service and from disconnected consumers who were previously not subject to bill deposits.
The ERC is currently revisiting its Rules on Bill Deposits to incorporate or amend portions thereof in order to include provisions that will protect consumers’ interests.
ERC commends these Electric Cooperatives for exerting efforts to reduce their consumers’ electric bill by not charging and collecting Bill Deposits and, thus, increasing their purchasing power. We encourage the other DUs to forego the charging of Bill Deposit, considering that there is no additional cost incurred and accrued to them. If foregoing the collection of Bill Deposit is not possible, it is but fair and appropriate that the customers be entitled to some interests which the Commission is now ironing out.
In Luzon, Nuvelco is among the five (5) ECs that waived their respective collection of Bill Deposits, namely: (1) Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO); (2) Lubang Island Electric Cooperative (LUBELCO); (3) Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO); (4) Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO); and (5) Quirino Electric Cooperative, Inc. (QUIRELCO).
Similarly, two (2) ECs from Visayas - Cebu I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CEBECO I) and Bantayan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BANELCO), and three (3) ECs from Mindanao - Lanao del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LANECO), Misamis Occidental II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MOELCI II), and Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LASURECO) opted not to collect the said Bill Deposit.
#Fredel Salvador
