BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 21) — Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) officials this week reminded affected power utility consumers may change their account name for their power meters free of charge.

According to a 2006 board resolution all applicants for change of account name would pay a P5 membership fee. The board, however, requires the usual membership seminar and the proof of death or incapacity of the original named person in the old account.

The Beneco board said the clamor to clean the list of member-consumers and update the cooperative membership roster could not be done without the members updating their account names personally.

Meanwhile, the board also clarified the types and causes of electric power outages as experienced recently. Scheduled power interruptions, which used to appear in local newspapers three days prior to the actual outage, are due to upgrading, rehabilitation, expansion, and maintenance of line and facility.

Installation of new transformers and preventive maintenance by the Transco also cause scheduled interruptions.

“We have to cut the power supply in the affected vicinity for the safety of the crew,” Lawrence M. Umaming, officer-in-charge, told the media during a recent press conference.

Unscheduled power interruptions are those brought about by fortuitous events such as disasters, accidents that disturb the power poles and some unscheduled interruptions from Transco or the National Power Corporation.

Lately, Beneco consumers complained about insufficient public information regarding power outages because not all newspapers are provided public notice announcements by Beneco.

“Unlike before, we now have an exclusive contract with just one outfit,” Umaming explained. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS