Amidst the pressing issue of high power rates mainly attributable to the price of fossil fuel and peso exchange rate to US dollar, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) conducted the 2023 Strategic Thinking with the Electric Cooperatives to address the requirements of the changing environment and satisfy the heightened expectations of the stakeholders towards a clean energy future.

Board Presidents, General Managers and other officials of the electric cooperatives (ECs) from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao attended the event held at the headquarters of Peninsula Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PENELCO) in Bataan last 15-16 November 2022.

NEA Administrator Emmanuel P. Juaneza set the direction of the national convention wherein he highlighted the importance of utilizing indigenous resources as the world faces energy crisis. He encouraged the ECs to explore renewable energy. "We must formulate short-term and long-term solutions to the issues that we are facing. Be serious about looking at the use of indigenous and/or renewable energy sources," the Administrator said.

Power coops supported the NEA Chief's pronouncement and laid out plans to enter into a joint venture with local government units and/or private sectors in developing renewable resources such as solar and hydro energy. The EC Regional Organizations also listed down the other strategies they have formulated in addressing concerns regarding total electrification and EC Rates.

Former ERC Commissioner Atty. Josefina Patricia M. Asirit tackled the price of coal in the international market and the other factors that contribute to high electricity costs. She also shared mitigating measures the government and the ECs can do to lower electricity prices in the country. Some of these measures are the suspension of electricity VAT and lowering the system loss.

This 2-day event enabled the NEA and the ECs to lay down significant programs for the year 2023 to sustain the gains beyond achieving total electrification. ###