Iloilo City enjoys lower rates, better services after MORE Power’s modernization program

ILOILO CITY – MORE Electric and Power Corp (MORE Power) has dramatically improved its services, and has effected relatively lower electricity rates as its P1.9 billion modernization programs bore fruition since becoming technically Ilolilo City’s sole power distributor two years ago.

“Our efficient and reliable customer services,” said MORE Power President Roel Castro.

The most modernization is aimed towards addressing systems loss factors, illegal connections and power interruptions; reducing overloading; providing a cheaper and safer electricity supply to consumers; and delivery of notable of MORE Power’s achievements was definitely the lowering of electricity rates from the previous average of P13 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to the present average of P6.20 per kWh.

The lower rates were attributed to MORE Power’s option to purchase supply from the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). Previous distributor Panay Electric Co. (PECO) had a contract with the power plants of Global Business Power (GBP).

MORE Power had to install a 69-kilovolt (69-kV) switching station to be able to link to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), which transmits the power purchased from PSALM and WESM.

MORE Power also installed the 10-megavolt ampere (10 MVA) substation at Iloilo Business Park, the township of Megaworld Corp. in Mandurriao district and had replaced 1,715 electric poles, 559 distribution transformers and 21,802 total electric meters.

MORE Power also installed animal guards, silicone rubber insulators, automatic circuit reclosers, and load break switches, as well as transferred electric meters and metering centers to avert power interruptions.

The MORE Power move resulted in a 93-percent decrease in interruption frequency. It also lowered system loss to just 6.98 percent in December 2021 after recording 23.31 percent in May 2020.