Napocor more stable in 2014?

MALOLOS CITY—The National Power Corporation (Napocor) is no longer fear shortage of fund and fuel for its power plants.

This came as Napocor successfully bid out fuel procurement for 2014 while it increased debt collection and secured government subsidy for its capital expenditures (Capex).

These are some of the highlights in the accomplishment report of Gladys Sta. Rita in her first 90-days as the first female president and Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of the Napocor.

Speaking to journalist during the weeklong celebrations of the 77^th founding anniversary of Napocor, the former Provincial Administrator of Bulacan said that for the first time, Napocor was able to bid out its fuel requirement three months in advance.

“Hindi na kami natatakot ngayon na kakapusin kami ng fuel because we were able to bid out our oil-based fuel requirement for small power utilities group (SPUG),” she said.

In the past, Sta. Rita said that the power company used to have the bidding in the month of February.

“This will ensure fuel availability and that the Romblon incident as thing of the past,” she said referring to brown out in the island of Romblon due to shortage of fuel.

Sta. Rita also noted that Napocor have completed its fuel operations manual and is coordinating with the Department of Justice for the filing charges against those involved in pilferage or illegal fuel transfer.

With regards to budget efficiency, she said that close coordination with the Department of Budget Management (DBM) and the Energy Regulatory Commission paid off.

She said that Secretary Florencio Abad of the DBM issued a letter expressing support to Napocor in case of projected shortfall in the operations of the SPUG next year.

For its part, the ERC approved Napocor’s Universal Charge for Missionary  Electrification (UCME) amounting to P7.4-Billion along with the P2.763-B for the same in 2014.

UCME is a subsidy approved by the ERC for the electrification of off-grid or missionary areas that are not connected to the main transmission grid.  This is passed on and

collected from all electricity end users nationwide.

For the Capex, Sta.Rita announced that a special allotment release order (SARO) for the national government subsidy of P969-M to Napocor has been issued with the Certificate of Availability of Funds.

She said that it would have not happened if not for the cooperation of employees in the last 90 days in preparing documents for release of the Capex.

Earlier, Sta. Rita said that DBM advised that that it was impossible for Napocor to complete all the requirements since it was already mid-year, but they did.

With regards to debt collection from electric cooperatives, Napocor’s efficiency improved from 23 percent to 33.7 percent which equivalent to P35-M collection to P72.5-M from Basilan, Sulu and Taw-tawi provinces alone.

In all, Sta Rita said the Napocor is chasing a totalof 4.4-Billion in outstanding receivables, of which, 77 percent or P3.4-Billion comes from the Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) provinces of Basila, Sulu at Tawi-tawi which are collectively known as BaSuTa.

Due to above accomplishments, Star Rita said that Napocor can not pursue long over due project.

This includes theP135.4-M for Codon-Virac Transmission line and the 10 MVA Marinawa substation; P119.3-M Cataingan-Mobo-Aroroy Transmission Line in Masbate; P4-M Abo-Abo-Quezon Rizal transmission line survey investigation, and the P24.3-M Transmission line and substation projects in Mindoro.

To increase power generating capacity, Napocor is investing a totalof P203.5-M; and another P28.9-M increase operating hours of its power stations by [priocuring spare parts.  Dino Balabo