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Unanswered questions
Let’s look at the issue of CUC and the issue of revenue generation. In the past, we were looking at the need to increase and expand power generation capacity. Now it appears that we have the capacity but cannot generate the revenue to maintain that capacity. As many understand, power generation is designed to meet the peak need of the community. Like the church in most villages, the size is designed to accommodate all patrons during New Year’s Day but less than half full on regular days.
It is very clear that supply and demand plays a major role in the revenue stream for CUC. When they increased the price of electricity, the community reduced their use, therefore revenue went down accordingly. Worse, some businesses turned to their own power generation for their power need, further affecting CUC’s revenue. The Legislature passed a net metering law designed to help businesses and households get into alternative energy to reduce dependency on CUC. CUC put up a moratorium on that practice. They even passed a law requiring CUC to have 80 percent of their power coming from alternative energy source. I believe either they amended this law or scrapped it altogether as it appear to be unrealistic and cannot be achieved. However, it is a move in the right direction.
If you look deeper into the philosophy of CUC using the court order for protection and justification for their actions, you can conclude that they are acting for their own interest and their survival as opposed to the interest and survival of the community and the businesses in it. The net metering law is for the good of the household and the business community but of course it will reduce the revenue for CUC.
Now ask yourself the question: Who is the CUC created for? Is it for the good of the people? Or is it for the good of the CUC and those working in it? Why the moratorium on alternative energy that they even applied on Rota, which only has one Korean businessman operating a poker establishment with solar power? Is that already a major threat to CUC revenue? What in the world is going on and who is our government trying to protect?
Frank M. Atalig
Sinapalo I, Rota
