BAGUIO CITY: Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) gears to cut further the already single-digit systems loss of Baguio and Benguet's sole electric distributor to benefit consumers through lower power costs. In a briefing Thursday, Beneco general manager Engr. Melchor Licoben said among the efforts to address the technical and non-technical systems losses were the implementation and advocacy of the anti-pilferage law and training of meter readers to avoid errors. By penalizing people involved in illegal connections, among others, power losses can be avoided, he said. Beneco is also increasing the size of its substation, its electric lines, and electric meters are now changed to 'intelligent' or smart meters. 'We institute reforms in our operations and in our systems that is why we are able to lower our systems loss, which is directly passed on to the electric consumers and reflected in their unbundled bills as systems loss charge,' he said. Licoben said the electric cooperative allots an average of PHP90 million annually to institute measures that improve the systems within the cooperative. Meanwhile, Licoben said Beneco is also going into electric generation activity, eyeing a one-megawatt solar power generation in Tuba, Benguet; a 50 megawatts hydropower plant in Kabayan, Benguet; a 10 to 15 megawatts power hydro plant in Tuba, Benguet; a five to 10 megawatts hydropower plant in Bakun, Benguet; and will also join the Swiss challenge for the operation of the Asin hydropower plant in Tuba, Benguet, which is an existing facility owned by the city government. He said their first engagement in electric generation, through the 3.24 megawatts Man-asok hydropower plant in Buguias Benguet that started commercial operation on Oct. 1 is expected to bring in additional cash and lower the cost of electricity passed on by Beneco. Source: Philippines News Agency