CEBU – In a move to further lessen the problem of insufficient energy supply in Cebu, fourteen more companies have joined the provincial government and the Visayan Electric Company (VECO)’s Interruptible Load Agreement Program (ILAP).

The additional establishments that signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with VECO and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, signifying their intent to join the ILAP were Wellmade Motors and Development Corporation, ProFood International Corp., Winner Plastic, Monde Nissin, Ginebra San Miguel, Mandaue Libertad, Matimco, Fooda Saver’s Mart, Hyundai Cebu Inc., Mastercraft, Cenapro, Alpa City Suites, Kimhi Realty Group, and Parklane Hotel.

They, like all the others which have previously signed up with the ILAP, have agreed to use their own generators during times of power shortage, allowing VECO to supply more power to households and small firms with no capacity to produce their own power.

VECO immediately calls up participating establishments when power shortage occurs, asking them to shift to power generators to avoid brownouts.

The program has been proven effective, said Garcia who cited an incident last year when the Visayas Grid manifested a shortage of 11 megawatts. VECO speedily got in touch with firms to turn off their power and shift to generators, thereby solving the shortage problem.

In the past few months since the ILAP was implemented, VECO admitted that participating business establishments can only de-load 17MW, which is actually not enough to address the problem. There was still a power shortage problem and additional business firms were encouraged to participate in the ILAP.

As of Wednesday, 36 companies have already signed up in the program.

Governor Garcia has lauded the ILAP because of its contribution to overall efforts in alleviating the power problem in the Central Visayas region.

“This has been proven in Cebu and we are glad that our businessmen are cooperating with us,” said Garcia.

She pointed out that energy generators and power plants in Cebu are a big help although the search for possible alternative sources of energy go on since the “prospect of power shortage continue to loom over our heads.”

Ricardo Lacson, VECO Vice President for Administration also said the utility firm continues to encourage more companies to join the ILAP which the Energy Regulatory Commission has labeled a model program for other distributors to follow.

Lacson said the lack of energy supply would have been twice as bad if not for the ILAP.

Garcia said that the sufficient supply of energy should be assured considering that Cebu continues to attract tourists and investors.