Power co-op gets another trashing from customers

THE power cooperative operating in Mambulao got another trashing from irate customers after blackouts hit at the height of the recently celebrated town fiesta.

Facebook postings by Mambulaoans accused the power cooperative – Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative (Canoreco) -- of “unparalleled inefficiency”.

They said that power outages had become a complete nuisance during the eve of the town fiesta as well as on the actual day/night of the festivities.

They described their experiences as "patay-sindi" affair, referring to the flickering lights of the Christmas Tree.

To add insult to injury, the local office of the power cooperative made a mobile public announcement a day after the fiesta reminding power consumers of their bills, which have become due.

Canoreco has failed in its promise to about 9,000 Mambulaoan power users last May that power outages would be over starting last June, one disgusted power consumer posted on Facebook site accessed by many Mambulaoans overseas..

In an announcement made through MWBuzz, Cesar Brondia last May, Canoreco director for Jose Panganiban, said that a new 5MVA power substation will solve the problem.

He said that the new substation under construction at a 500-square meter property at Baranggay Sta Rosa Sur would be finished at the end of May.

 “It would be put on online immediately,” Brondia said.

The new substation costing P150 million was to be funded by a PCI-Equitable bank loan.

Brondia said that the frequent brownouts are caused by an overload of power caused by a number of illegal connections traced to illegally-operated mining activities and a number of illegal transmitters.

He said a team from the power cooperative has begun dismantling said illegal power connections and appropriate legal charges had been against the culprits.

Brondia said the municipality of Jose Panganiban shares a 5MVA-substation with the municipality of Paracale.

This substation taps electricity from the power grid of the Aboitiz Power Resources Inc.