ERC bares rules in installation, relocation of electric meters

CEBU, Philippines - The Energy Regulatory Board has released a set of rules to provide guidance to power distribution utilities in the installation and relocation of electric meters.

ERC chairperson Zenaida Cruz-Ducut said the rules are promulgated in order to ensure the highest level of compliance with safety standards and adequate protection of consumer interests and consequently reduce the system loss of distribution utilities.

The rules to govern the installation and relocation of residential electric meters by distribution utilities to elevated metering centers of individual residential electric meter to other elevated service or EMC Rules, was approved late last month.

Under the rules, the instances when the ERC may allow distribution utilities to resort to EMCs are the following: there is no right-of-way, there are informal settlers, there is a high incidence of illegal service connections, meter vandalism and meter tampering, there are habitual pilferers and there is a request from the customer.

The rules further stipulated that there must be a prior approval from ERC before there is an actual relocation of meters to EMCs, except in cases of consumer requests or where the sole reason for elevation of a right-of-way.

The application for approval of the EMC filed by a distribution utility must be supported by a system loss report proving the high incidence of illegal service connections, meter vandalism and meter tampering or rampant electricity theft in the concerned area.

The ERC, under the rules, is mandated to approve the application within 15 days from receipt otherwise it shall be deemed approved after the lapsed of the said period.

It shall be the distribution utility concerned who shall shoulder the expenses of the cost of the service drop wires and all necessary protective accessories.

However, for EMC installations due to consumer requests, the cost of the wires shall be equitably shared by the distribution utility and the requesting customer. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB (THE FREEMAN)