by Myrna Velasco October 21, 2016
With some delays in implementation
due to legal hurdles, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) indicated that it
is keen on extending the deadline for contestable customers to negotiate supply
deals with retail electricity suppliers (RES).
“We believe that an extension would
afford concerned parties sufficient time to negotiate new supply contracts with
retailers,” ERC Chairman Jose Vicente B. Salazar noted.
ERC was confident that mandatory
retail competition and open access (RCOA) at lowered threshold of 750 kilowatts
will finally make its way into true-to-form implementation as initially
targeted for next year.
This was following the issuance of a
temporary restraining order (TRO) by the Supreme Court effectively reversing
for the meantime the injunction earlier rendered by a Pasig Regional Trial
Court on a case filed by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) stopping the
mandatory phase of the industry’s retail competition.
Salazar reckoned “the issuance of
the TRO by the Supreme Court clears the way for the full implementation by the
ERC of its recently-promulgated rules on RCOA, particularly those that pertain
to mandatory contestability by December, 2016.”
Nevertheless, he qualified that some
deadlines earlier prescribed in the Rules may already turn very critical for
affected stakeholders to comply with, hence, they are pushing for review of the
timeframes. It will be calendared as an agenda of the Commission.
“Let me assure the concerned parties
that we will review the said timeline and determine a more appropriate date for
mandatory contestability,” the ERC Chair stressed.
He noted they are just counting now
on solid support from the industry so they could finally propel consumers “to
be the king of their own power sourcing” – a long-delayed promise of reform
enshrined under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.
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