A LOCAL movement of electricity consumers is calling out the inaction of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to act on the rising cost of electricity, of which one factor is the anomalous contracts between coal plants and electric distribution utilities.
Palag Na Batok sa Mahal ug Hugaw nga Kuryente (Palag Na), a group composed of electric consumers and groups in Mindanao, has been trying to get the ERC to act on anomalous power supply agreements (PSA) which until now have yet to nullified.
Palag Na’s complaint stems from a Supreme Court decision on ABP, Inc. versus ERC (G.R. No. 227670) on May 3, 2019, that requires all PSAs submitted on or after June 30, 2015, to undergo a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) to find the least expensive electricity source.
Palag Na has already brought to the ERC’s attention some 37 PSAs that are included in the Supreme Court decision but the ERC has not nullified them yet.
“We have sent letters to ERC and provided them with copies of the 37 PSAs since 2021, and we have engaged in a dialogue with their legal team (in) May, they said they will look into these PSAs,” said Rara Ada, one of the convenors of Palag Na.
Ada also represents the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, one of the groups that formed Palag Na.
“We have followed up with ERC for the past three months but they still have not responded,” Ada said adding that the 37 PSAs have been in the ERC’s wringer since 2015, meaning electric consumers have been paying high and unjust rates and will continue to so until these PSAs are nullified.
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