THE energy sector has bled P2.65 billion sucked off by non-paying electric customers, the Commission on Audit (COA) revealed.

In its report on the National Power Corp. (Napocor), the Commission said that select power cooperatives across the country failed to settle their “long overdue accounts” that added up to P2.652 billion by 2011 year-end.

“Long-overdue accounts from power customers deprived Napocor of much needed funds for its operation,” the report read.

Singled out in Luzon are Masbate Pres Mini Grid customers with P25.81 million; Cagayan Electric Cooperative with P455,688; Masbate Electric Cooperative with P168.62 million; and Romblon Electric Cooperative with P20.06 million.

In Visayas, Bantayan Electric Cooperative in Cebu province owed P12.35 million and small power utility groups (SPUG) with P1.04 million.

In Mindanao, errant SPUGs include Basilan Electric Cooperative with P925.2 million; Cagayan de Sulu Electric Cooperative (Cagelco) with P6.84 million; Sulu Electric Cooperative with P919.35 million; and Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative with P568.82 million.

Auditors added that there are “non-power customers in Visayas and Mindanao” with a total balance of P4.27 million, which have been dormant since 2009. These accounts were “from unidentified customers.”

“Non-identification of the debtors would render collection improbable. This has likewise resulted in the understatement of the real debtors’ accounts,” COA noted.

COA asked the Napocor to intensify their effort to collect from its power customers and to resort to legal remedies when necessary to enforce collection.

Napocor said that they are consistent in issuing notices of disconnection.

Monthly disconnection notices are sent to Cagelco but the head of plant-in-charge could not disconnect for fear of retaliation by the local government.

On May 5, 2011, the mayor of Calayan in Cagayan de Sulu (now Mapun Island, Tawi-Tawi province) took over the operation of Calayan Diesel Power Plant in view of Napocor’s cease and desist order after the Napocor’s head finance office issued a disconnection.

In SPUG-Mindanao, the monthly payments by four cooperatives were applied only to interest charges, resulting in the build up of their principal accounts.

“Disconnection policy was not strictly implemented in the area because of constant representations made by their local government and the district representatives,” Napocor said.