NEA: Power cooperatives curbed losses in ’13

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) on Tuesday reported that electricity cooperatives (ECs) under its supervision managed to reduce system losses in 2013, resulting in better service to customers.

Last year, the NEA said, ECs posted system losses of 11.61 percent compared to the average of 11.74 percent reported in 2012.

The average for 2013 was also lower than the 13 percent cap set by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for electricity cooperatives and distribution utilities.

The reduction in system loss translated to P124,471,493 in savings for the cooperatives’ customers, or 18,186,951.01 kilowatt-hours (kwh) in energy terms, the NEA added.

In reducing their losses, the cooperatives implemented massive meter changes, including pole metering and cluster metering, the NEA said. Last year, 13 substations with an additional capacity of 108.75 MVA were commissioned, leading to better service efficiency.

“Strategic interventions are being undertaken to address the reduction of system loss of the electric cooperatives in order for them to be operationally efficient and be of better service to their member-consumers. Lower system loss would also mean lower cost of electricity rates,” NEA administrator Edita S. Bueno said in a statement.

There were 71 ECs that met the cap on system losses. Of them, “57 ECs showed marked improvement in their system loss level in 2013 compared to their 2012 level,” the NEA said.

The cooperatives that posted the most reductions were Marinduque Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Marelco), which curbed from 17.25 percent in 2012 to 11.22 percent in 2013; Moresco I from 5.24 percent to 1.83 percent; and Capiz Electric Cooperative Inc. (Capelco) from 12.05 percent to 8.92 percent.

The five ECs that had the lowest system losses were Misamis Oriental I Electric Service Inc. (Moresco I) with 1.83 percent; Dinagat Island Electric Cooperative Inc. (Dielco) with 5.09 percent; Bohol I Electric Cooperative Inc. (Boheco I) with 6.05 percent; Cebu III Electric Cooperative Inc. (Cebeco II) with 6.75 percent; and Batanes Electric Cooperative Inc. (Batanelco) with 7.53 percent.

In terms of regions, ECs in Region VII (Central Visayas) recorded the lowest average system loss at 8.03 percent.