Abra electric cooperative pays generation dues

BANGUED,  Abra – Abra gets to keep its power supplies on  for now as the Abra Electric Cooperative (Abreco) was able to pay its monthly electricity fees to the Aboitiz Power Renewables Inc. ahead of the latter's supposed second disconnection schedule Thursday.

Abreco fully settled Wednesday its obligation, preventing another “black-out” in the province that according to the 47,000-member cooperative is  a product of local political intramurals.    

A cooperative officer said the two-day black-out on December 10 showed “the ugly head of politics in the province as the cooperative’s management is being shoved aside in favor of politically-anointed personalities”.

Abra's relief, however, may be momentary as Abreco general manager Loreto Seares Jr. said another disconnection looms, and this time coming  from the  National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

The NGCP,  which has threatened to cut-off electricity on January 3, 2013 because of supposed transmission charges backlog of P13 million, transmits power, while APRI generates power.

Earlier the NGCP agreed to defer the collection of these payments, following the lead of the PSALM,  which trimmed down the P3 million monthly collectibles to just P1 million a month to ease Abreco's burden.

“But the timing is most cruel,”  said Seares, adding that the cooperative has scrapped the bottom of its barrel to pay APRI.

“We again see the hand of Gov. (Eustaquio) Bersamin instigating this impending mess in our financial operations,”  Seares  said.  "Since Abreco survived the demands of Aboitiz, (Gov. Bersamin) compelled NGCP to issue another threat.”  Seares said  that if the cooperative survives NGCP, the PSALM will be “used” to pressure him to step down.

Gov. Bersamin earlier denied any hand in the Abreco mess as he claimed he does not have any executive powers over a cooperative.

Seares, however, insisted that the governor wants to remove him from his post so that a political ally of the governor takes Seares' place.

“But we are sorry to disappoint him,” Seares said,  adding that only  only the cooperative’s board of directors can legally replace officers. - Artemio A. Dumlao