By Junex Doronio
MANILA — For belatedly suspending the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) to avert power rate hikes, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro on Thursday (02 May 2024) assailed the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), saying such a slow reaction only benefits the generation companies.
The militant lawmaker noted that the ERC’s suspension of the WESM came only after two weeks of yellow and red alerts in the Luzon and Visayas grids.
“Dapat 2-3 days pa lang na nag-red and yellow alerts suspended na agad ang WESM hindi yung inantay pa para kumita ng husto ang mga gencos (generation companies) na ito na sila mismo ang dahilan ng pagbagsak ng supply ng kuryente,” Castro fumed.
Short of saying that gencos should moderate their greed for a big profit, Castro said she took pity on the consumers.
“Pumalpak na, sila (gencos) pa ang kumita tapos ang kawawa ang consumers na tatamaan ng electric bill shock Nangyari na ito noong 2013 at inuulit na naman nila ang modus nilang ito ngayon,” Castro raged on.
“Another problem with this belated and insufficient suspension is that it only kicks in when there is a red alert but even in yellow alerts power rates already surge. Kaya dapat yellow alert pa lang suspended na,” she added.
(el Amigo/MNM)
