Meralco eyes JV with electric coop

Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company, better known as Meralco, is eyeing a joint venture with the Batangas II Electric Cooperative Inc. or BATELEC II, one of the two electric cooperatives that distribute electricity to Batangas province, as Meralco strives to enhance its services to provinces adjacent to the Mega Manila grid.

- MARIANNE GO

In a briefing to members of the Monday Circle at the start of the week, Meralco senior vice president and chief government and external affairs officer Arnel Casanova explained that Meralco's objective is to help improve the delivery of reliable power to Batangas with its booming manufacturing and tourism potential.

Over breakfast at the Westin Manila, Casanova emphasized that "our objective really is to make the Philippines competitive in the global economy, particularly in a world that is becoming digital. So when it comes to food security, we need power for cold storage."

"When it comes to healthcare, we need power for our hospitals to operate very well. And, of course, for the quality of life of people and for businesses."

Meralco, Casanova said, has already submitted a proposal to BATELEC II "because that's an adjoining province, Batangas is already surrounded by the Meralco franchise from Quezon to Laguna to Cavite."

BATELEC II, he pointed out "is considered the biggest electric cooperative in the Philippines, but is still suffering from a lot of problems." Casanova, who hails from Batangas, laments that the province "suffers eight-hour brownouts on weekends, and intermittent and fluctuating power."

Elaborating further, Casanova added that "the frequency of brownouts is really bothersome. For many businesses, they're being discouraged to actually move there. Even for tourism and healthcare, you know, because a lot of resort and resort businesses are complaining of break down of their air conditioning and refrigeration because of the fluctuation and the frequency of brownouts."

Meralco's proposal, he said, involves gaining "a majority, because in that way, we'll be able to influence the service," with the hope of completing the deal quickly "so that we could provide better services to our people."