Island folk hit exclusion from PPA reduction.

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
 | August 04, 2002 | Copyright
(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MAMBURAO, Occidental Mindoro-The people of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro are disgusted with the government after the island provinces were excluded from the reduction of the purchased power adjustment (PPA) as promised by the President during her State of the Nation Address.
According to Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal ng Mamburao spokesperson Rodolfo Plopinio, the disgusted people of Mamburao found the exemption discriminating and unfair.
Plopinio asserted that their exclusion from the PPA reduction was an insult that added to the town, whose Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (Omeco) has been supplying them more with brownouts than electricity during the last 14 years.
He said that in her Sona, the President even mentioned with pride how the PPA was reduced through her intervention. She did not mention any exemption from the PPA reduction.
Complying with President Macapagal-Arroyo's directive, as early as May 21, the National Power Corp. furnished the Energy Regulatory Commission a copy of Resolution No. 2002-60 pegging the power purchase cost adjustment (PPCA) at a uniform rate of P0.40 per kilowatt-hour.
The resolution states that the reduction was supposed to be effective in all grids at a uniform rate of P0.40/kWh. It also states that the reduction will depend on the mix of electricity sourced from the Napocor and from the independent power producers of distribution utilities in a particular grid.
It further states that the reduction of the PPCA is distinct and separate from the P0.30/kWh mandated rate reduction for end-users.
On May 31, however, the Napocor amended the earlier resolution exempting all grids, except Bohol and the small island grids from the reduction. The amended resolution, Resolution No. 2002-61, was approved by the ERC on June 3.
Although the resolution states that only those island provinces without independent power producers are not included in the PPA reduction, the two provinces of Mindoro have two IPPs. Mirant Power Plant is located in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro, while the Island Power Corp. is in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. Mei Magsino, PDI Southern Luzon Bureau