ERC consults public anew on prepaid electricity service
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approved the publication and posting of the revised Draft Rules for Prepaid Retail Electric Service Using a Prepaid Metering System on 10 November 2008. The said Draft Rules were immediately posted on the ERC’s website (www.erc.gov.ph) on November 11, 2008 (Tuesday) to facilitate gathering of new comments which are due on 28 November 2008. The revised Draft Rules are based on the comments that were gathered from the initial draft that were discussed during the public consultations held in Cebu City on 26 August 2008 and in Manila on 02 September 2008.
“The prepaid retail electricity service or PRES is one of the innovations being introduced so that consumers can have more power to control their electricity bills. Consumers can buy electric energy credits or a load like mobile phones. They can monitor their consumption in real time and also know how much credits remain. The meter system will warn the consumer when the load is nearing zero to avoid automatic disconnection,” ERC Chairperson Zenaida G. Cruz-Ducut explained.
“Consumers have benefitted from prepaid services. The telecommunications industry has revolutionized this form of service some years back when it offered prepaid cell phone cards, which come now in intangible cost-effective electronic forms. The ERC foresees an eventual acceptance by certain electricity consumers of the PRES,” Chairperson Ducut added.
The ERC formulated the Draft Rules on PRES to establish the technical standards for the use of a prepaid metering system. Distribution Utilities (DUs) who are granted authority by the ERC to implement PRES are required to use prepaid meters certified by the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This is to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the meters.
The revised Draft Rules proposes that the DU will shoulder the cost of prepaid meters; thus, sparing the electricity consumers from paying a meter deposit.
“I urge the electricity stakeholders, especially the consumers to submit their comments on the revised Draft Rules and attend future public consultations to expedite the finalization of the Rules,” Chairperson Ducut appealed.
Hard copies of comments from interested parties must be sent to the ERC Main Office located at the 12th Floor CAS, Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Electronic comments should be emailed to consumer@erc.gov.ph. by November 28, 2008.
November 20 , 2008