4 electric cooperatives penalized for failure to submit required report

THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) ordered four electric cooperatives to pay a combined P2.5 million in administrative penalties for failing to submit required monthly reports that serve as basis for regulating charges that are passed on to consumers.

Those facing fines, based on Nov. 2021 ERC decisions, are Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. which has been renamed as Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco), Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BISELCO), Lubang Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LUBELCO), and Samar II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SAMELCO II).

ERC ordered the payment of penalties after finding the four distribution utilities guilty of violating Resolution No. 24 Series of 2011, which mandates the submission of documents like electronic and scanned copies of power supplier’s invoice, transmission invoice, consumer bills, and debit/credit memorandum monthly.

ERC said that it has been considerate to the utilities by allowing them to consolidate their monthly reports into an annual submission by the end of every year.

However, the regulatory body said, such leniency cannot be extended to those “that have incomplete submissions or those that did not submit consolidated annual report for each year.”

Nordeco, BISECO and SAMELCO II were ordered to pay P700,000 each for seven counts of the violation from Jan. 2012 to 2018. LUBELCO was directed to pay P400,000 for four counts of violations.

“Continued failure to comply with the URR (uniform reportorial requirements) will merit the imposition of harsher penalties as provided under the commission’s rules,” the ERC said in its decisions. — Marielle C. Lucenio