State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) has released the results of the thorough assessment of the overall performance of the 121 electric cooperatives (EC) under its supervision.
The 2017 EC Overall Performance Assessment showed an increase in the number of power distribution utilities that are fully compliant with the key performance standards (KPS) of the NEA.
Based on the results, the ECs that were rated AAA rose to 87 from 78 in 2016. Of these, 33 ECs received an overall score of 100, which is higher than the 24 ECs that garnered 100 points from the previous assessment.
Meanwhile, all power distributors in Regions VI (Western Visayas), VII (Central Visayas) and CARAGA attained AAA rating, making them the highest performers. Region VIII is the most improved region with 10 of its 11 ECs earning the AAA categorization from the state-run agency.
Additionally, the assessment revealed 76 ECs maintained their AAA status while 20 ECs showed improvement in ratings, 11 of which were to AAA categorization level. The NEA evaluates and determines the overall performance ratings of all ECs annually using the two criteria—KPS (80 percent) and EC Classification (20 percent).
The AAA rating is the highest score given by the NEA to ECs that indicates the power distributors’ full compliance on four parameters, namely financial, institutional, technical and reportorial requirements. The D rating is the lowest. Scores and their corresponding ratings are as follows: 95-100 = AAA; 90-94 = AA; 85-89 = A; 75-84 = B; 50-74 = C; and 49 and below = D.
Results of the recent assessment also showed that 83 percent or a total of 101 out of the 121 ECs supervised by the state-run agency have notched either AAA, AA or A status last year. Of the remaining 20 ECs, four improved their performance either from C to B or D to C; 13 ECs manifested improvement in total scores while three retained their performance level.
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong welcomed the results of last year’s overall performance assessment of 121 ECs nationwide but he also pressed on them to keep upgrading their services and remain responsive to the needs of their member-consumer-owners (MCOs).
“The results of this annual assessment of electric cooperatives also indicate that the institutional, financial and technical assistance readily given by the NEA are getting significant results in terms of developing the capacity and performance of the EC sector,” Masongsong said.
“Let me challenge the ECs to convert these categorization figures into more salient improvements in their services, as these must also be felt more by their respective member-consumer-owners,” the NEA chief added.
