The National Electrification Administration (NEA), along with the 121 electric cooperatives (ECs) under its watch, officially activates its 24-hour power situation monitoring system this 27 October 2023 to help ensure a smooth conduct of the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
The state-owned corporation held a dry run of its round-the-clock electricity monitoring and reporting protocols last 25 October 2023, in compliance with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Resolution No. 10924 dated 07 June 2023, concerning the synchronized BSKE on 30 October 2023.
Under COMELEC guidelines, the NEA has been deputized and commissioned to “provide and maintain stable and continuous nationwide electric power requirements from the start of voting, until the termination or conclusion of [the] counting of votes, and the proclamation of the winning candidates.”
In view of this, NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda organized the “Power Task Force Election 2023” as early as 29 August 2023 in preparation for the upcoming polls. He has also instructed all ECs to ensure uninterrupted power supply throughout the election period.
Administrator Almeda earlier directed all ECs to take the appropriate maintenance activities of their critical electricity network and non-network assets. They were also advised to do an ocular inspection of their facilities in voting centers across their respective franchise areas.
“With or without incidents of power interruptions, report/s shall be submitted,” the NEA chief said in a memo dated 18 August 2023. “The ECs shall immediately report major incidents of power interruptions, which shall be included in the periodic reporting,” he added.
Reporting shall be done daily and submitted to the respective NEA Power Task Force Election 2023 teams using a format that includes details on the locations, substations affected, causes of the interruption, precincts affected, actions taken, date and time, among others.
Members of the NEA special task force include the following: Engineering Department (ED), Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD), Total Electrification and Renewable Energy Development Department (TEREDD), Human Resources and Administration Department (HRAD), Corporate Communications and Social Marketing Office (CCSMO), Information Technology and Communication Services Department (ITCSD) and Finance Services Department (FSD). ###
