Governor Aris Aumentado has urged the province’s three distribution utilities to start negotiations with investors seeking to establish power plants in the island, which are seen to curb the soaring electricity rates in the province.
Aumentado, in a press briefing on Monday, said the province’s three DUs including the Bohol Electric I Cooperative, Bohol Electric II Cooperative and Bohol Light Company, Inc. need to open the negotiations before their current contracts with power generation firms expire.
“Busa, sa di pa mo end inyong contract, makig negotiate na mo sa mga power plays na renewable na willing mo invest sa Bohol,” said Aumentado.
The first-term governor noted that DUs have been refusing to enter negotiations due to their existing contracts with power generation companies and suppliers.
He said this was merely a “game plan” for them to renew their existing contracts after they expire instead of entering into new deals with firms seeking to erect power plants in the island.
“Dili mo [DUs] mo ingon na under full contract pa mo, na di pa mo maka negotiate. Klaro man na inyong gibuhat na kung ngana inyong stinoryahan dili mo mo-entertain kay full contract pa mo, dili pud maka plastar ang mga investor unya by the time na mo-end inyong mga contract mo-ingon mo na ‘wala man sila [power generation] diha, wa yamoy maka supply.’ Ang inyong game plan, mo balik na pud mo og renew anang mga power supplier na mahal kaajo, klaro na kaayo,” said Aumentado.
Power generation firms need to enter into contracts with the DUs before establishing their facilities to ensure the usage of their supplies.
According to Aumentado, he will ask the province’s three House of Representatives members to hold the renewal of the DUs franchises pending his discussions with them.
“Akong ingnon ang tulo ka congressman na dili sa ta mo renew sa ilang franchise kay ato sa ning hisgutan kung asa ta dapita ug angayan ba silang e-renew. Atong e-discuss kung kinsa ang angayan na suportahan sa mga congressman na makahatag og ubos na kurinti,” said Aumentado.
Bohol is currently dependent on power supply from geothermal power plants in Leyte and other sources outside the province.
The government has been seeking to establish its own power source within the island in a bid to bring down electricity rates and provide stable power supply. (AD)