The Northern Davao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NORDECO) has defended its service reliability following what it calls misleading claims presented during deliberations on House Bill No. 11072, which seeks to amend its franchise coverage.

“The reports of regulatory agencies should guide rational deliberations, not representations made by politicians who know nothing about the power industry or rural electrification. Our honorable senators must serve with justice and uphold the truth in carrying out their sworn duty to the public,” NORDECO Acting General Manager Elvera S. Alngog said Thursday.  

Alngog refuted allegations of poor service, particularly the figures cited for its System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI). She clarified that the reported SAIDI of 242.33 minutes and SAIFI of 4.99 in July 2024 were inaccurately presented, as they actually reflected data from January to June.

NORDECO also corrected claims regarding its Distribution, Supply, and Metering (DSM) charge, stating that it stands at P1.5372 per kWh—lower than other providers’ P2.3552 per kWh. While its total electricity rate may appear higher, the cooperative stressed that all charges are pass-through costs, with the DSM covering labor, line maintenance, and operational expenses rather than generating revenue.

Likewise, Alngog cited NORDECO’s progress, citing its “AA” rating and its contributions to the development of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro.  

“The lessons we learned from the past led us to this achievement. Our operational improvements are reflected in the progress of our service areas, as seen in the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) awarded to provincial and municipal LGUs, along with other citations for excellence,” she said.  

NORDECO, which serves parts of Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte, was established to provide electricity to urban centers and remote communities. Its franchise area borders the Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative Inc. (DORECO) to the west, Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative Inc. to the north, and the privately owned Davao Light and Power Corp. to the east.