MANILA ELECTRIC CO. (Meralco) said it is working around the clock to ensure a steady supply of electricity and services amid the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
“During these challenging times, Meralco remains always ready and will continue working with the energy sector so as to ensure that electric power services remain uninterrupted,” Ronnie L. Aperocho, Meralco senior vice-president and head of networks, said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Our company continues to keep up the good fight and sustain our mission to keep the lights on for each and every single customer in our franchise area,” Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer Ray C. Espinosa added.
The distribution utility noted minimal power interruptions within its franchise areas, following the suspension of its scheduled maintenance activities from March 15 to April 14 except for activities in critically loaded areas.
Meralco said that its entire distribution network remains visible all day because of the triple-redundancy of its control center.
“This flexibility affords us to spread deployment of personnel critical to our business operations, not only to assure their well-being, but more importantly, to ensure that power across our franchise is uninterrupted during these critical times,” Mr. Aperocho said.
Lately, Meralco powered Quezon City’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) regional evacuation center, as well as approved the service application of Urban Homes, which provided free lodging for health workers at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City.
Meralco has also suspended its meter reading and bills delivery to customers. It said that the monthly bill of customers whose meters are scheduled to be read between March 17 to April 14 will be based on their average electricity usage for the past three months.
On Tuesday, shares in Meralco went up 4.94% to close at P225.00 each.
Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Adam J. Ang
