The Energy Regulatory Commission is creating a template ruling for electric cooperatives that have signed power sales contracts with KEPCO-Salcon Power Corp. that is building a 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Naga City, Cebu, Roberto Montelibano, president of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative, said in a press conference yesterday.

CENECO is one of the seven electric cooperatives in the Visayas that will purchase power from KSPC starting 2011, along with Cebu Electric Cooperative 1, 2 and 3, Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative Inc. 1 and 2, and Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative Inc. They will purchase a total of 160 megawatts of power from KSPC, a company official said.

“ERC is going to make a template for all for easy processing because (these cooperatives) will only have one source (of power). There are commonalities,” Montelibano said.

Considering this development, he said the CENECO-KSPC power sales contract will probably be approved by the ERC but after a public hearing is conducted.

“I won’t pre-empt the ERC,” he said, but added “If there’s an anomaly (in the contract), it should apply to everybody.”

The ERC already approved in September last year the power supply contract between NOCECO and KSPC, and both parties have even sought amendments to the contract before the ERC.  

Montelibano said these amendments, particularly on the pricing, will also apply to all the cooperatives.   

Militant and environmental groups have been opposing the move of CENECO to source power from a coal-fired power plant citing health, environment and economic reasons.

Last March, the House Committee on Energy held an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the anomalies in the approval of the power sales between CENECO and KSPC, but Montelibano had earlier said that, as far as he is concerned, there is no anomaly and the contract is above board.*NLG

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