ERC orders electric company to explain pole fires
Published Dec 04, 2019 00:00 am
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Updated Dec 04, 2019 00:00 am
By Ben Rosario
Acting on a complaint filed by a former congressman, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has ordered the Panay Electric Company, Inc. (PECO) to submit its explanation on serious allegations of operational lapses found by the ERC Inspection Team.
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) (MANILA BULLETIN)
Reports reaching the House Committee on Energy revealed that Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas, a former member of the House of Representatives, has accused PECO of putting his constituents in danger for its “inadequately maintained lines, power outages and hazardous electric posts” because of the numerous and continuing cases of electric pole fires in the city.
The complaint was backed by a report submitted by Iloilo City Fire Marshall Chief Inspector Christopher Regencia who revealed that more than half or 1,464 cases out of 2,887 incidents of fire in Iloilo City since January 2014 were caused by pole fires and the number of pole fires continues to rise because the utility that owns the poles, franchise-less PECO has no trained technical people to solve the problem.
Responding to the complaint, the ERC issued an order dated November 26, 2019 requiring PECO’s directors and officers to explain.
The agency said PECO should explain why no administrative penalty should be imposed and/or criminal action instituted against them for violating the pertinent provisions of the following:
(1) Philippine Distribution Code (PDC) 2017 Edition;
(2) Amended Distribution Services and Open Access Rules (DSOAR)
(3) Amended Elevated Metering Center (EMC) Rules; and
(4) ERC Resolution No. 12, Series of 2009 (Guidelines for the Accreditation of Satellite Laboratories of Meter Shops).
"Based on the findings of the ERC technical team that conducted the ocular inspection on the electric distribution system of PECO, the latter committed lapses in the operations and maintenance of its distribution system thereby posing danger and risks to the lives and properties of its consumers,” said ERC Chairperson Agnes VST Devanadera.
The findings of the ERC Inspection Team showed that: (1) PECO’s protective devises were not properly rated and designed; (2) Some poles were found leaning and in unsafe positions; and (3) Some meters were found to be clustered and installed in an Elevated Metering Center (EMC) without securing prior ERC approval.
The ERC inspection team also found that the Certificate of Authority (CA) for PECO’s meter shop expired on 18 November 2019, and PECO has not filed the application for the renewal of the same.
"PECO must submit its explanation within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the Commission’s Order pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). We need to accord PECO the opportunity to explain its side before we evaluate the extent of their liability for the operational lapses that were discovered,” Devanadera stated.
In supporting Trenas’ complaint Regencia disclosed that the Bureau of Fire Protection has been informed by PECO that it has no technical people to attend to the pole fires except to monitor and document those cases.
Earlier, PECO had claimed only a final technical assessment could determine if it is to blame for the pole fires as it noted that wires of telecommunications and cable TV companies are also connected to their electricity poles.
However, Regencia noted that the telecommunication companies’ wires usually carry a 24-volt charge as opposed to PECO wires which has a 220-voltage charge.
BFP records submitted by Regencia to the ERC showed that from Jan. 1, 2014 to Oct. 29, 2019, a total of 2,887 fire incidents occurred in Iloilo City, with pole fires numbering 1,464 cases, or 51.187 percent of all fire incidents during the almost six-years period.
Two hundred and twenty-four pole fires occurred out of the 427 fire incidents in 2014, while 228 cases of pole fires happened in 2015, 303 cases in 2016, 275 incidents in 2017 and another 233 pole fires in 2018.
A total of 201 pole fires erupted in the city from January to October 27, 2019, and the cases continue to rise even as more similar incidents happen.
The fire department listed the official reason for these incidents as “Short Circuit Secondary Service Lines,” which basically meant exposed electricity wires bursting into flames after short circuiting and burning the wooden poles where they were connected.
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) (MANILA BULLETIN)
Reports reaching the House Committee on Energy revealed that Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas, a former member of the House of Representatives, has accused PECO of putting his constituents in danger for its “inadequately maintained lines, power outages and hazardous electric posts” because of the numerous and continuing cases of electric pole fires in the city.
The complaint was backed by a report submitted by Iloilo City Fire Marshall Chief Inspector Christopher Regencia who revealed that more than half or 1,464 cases out of 2,887 incidents of fire in Iloilo City since January 2014 were caused by pole fires and the number of pole fires continues to rise because the utility that owns the poles, franchise-less PECO has no trained technical people to solve the problem.
Responding to the complaint, the ERC issued an order dated November 26, 2019 requiring PECO’s directors and officers to explain.
The agency said PECO should explain why no administrative penalty should be imposed and/or criminal action instituted against them for violating the pertinent provisions of the following:
(1) Philippine Distribution Code (PDC) 2017 Edition;
(2) Amended Distribution Services and Open Access Rules (DSOAR)
(3) Amended Elevated Metering Center (EMC) Rules; and
(4) ERC Resolution No. 12, Series of 2009 (Guidelines for the Accreditation of Satellite Laboratories of Meter Shops).
"Based on the findings of the ERC technical team that conducted the ocular inspection on the electric distribution system of PECO, the latter committed lapses in the operations and maintenance of its distribution system thereby posing danger and risks to the lives and properties of its consumers,” said ERC Chairperson Agnes VST Devanadera.
The findings of the ERC Inspection Team showed that: (1) PECO’s protective devises were not properly rated and designed; (2) Some poles were found leaning and in unsafe positions; and (3) Some meters were found to be clustered and installed in an Elevated Metering Center (EMC) without securing prior ERC approval.
The ERC inspection team also found that the Certificate of Authority (CA) for PECO’s meter shop expired on 18 November 2019, and PECO has not filed the application for the renewal of the same.
"PECO must submit its explanation within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the Commission’s Order pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). We need to accord PECO the opportunity to explain its side before we evaluate the extent of their liability for the operational lapses that were discovered,” Devanadera stated.
In supporting Trenas’ complaint Regencia disclosed that the Bureau of Fire Protection has been informed by PECO that it has no technical people to attend to the pole fires except to monitor and document those cases.
Earlier, PECO had claimed only a final technical assessment could determine if it is to blame for the pole fires as it noted that wires of telecommunications and cable TV companies are also connected to their electricity poles.
However, Regencia noted that the telecommunication companies’ wires usually carry a 24-volt charge as opposed to PECO wires which has a 220-voltage charge.
BFP records submitted by Regencia to the ERC showed that from Jan. 1, 2014 to Oct. 29, 2019, a total of 2,887 fire incidents occurred in Iloilo City, with pole fires numbering 1,464 cases, or 51.187 percent of all fire incidents during the almost six-years period.
Two hundred and twenty-four pole fires occurred out of the 427 fire incidents in 2014, while 228 cases of pole fires happened in 2015, 303 cases in 2016, 275 incidents in 2017 and another 233 pole fires in 2018.
A total of 201 pole fires erupted in the city from January to October 27, 2019, and the cases continue to rise even as more similar incidents happen.
The fire department listed the official reason for these incidents as “Short Circuit Secondary Service Lines,” which basically meant exposed electricity wires bursting into flames after short circuiting and burning the wooden poles where they were connected.