MORE’s outdated GE i210 meters (left) vs. PECO’s upgraded EDMI NC30 digital smart meters (right)

Ports and gambling magnate Enrique Razon’s More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE) has invested in equipment that has the potential to increase power rates tenfold.

MORE purchased GE-i210 meters for its billing system in an attempt to ensure “inexpensive power,” but the same meter model received severe backlash for poor readings that have led to higher charges.

“The meters that they have purchased were recently involved in a serious case of inaccurate billing in the United States that cost consumers thousands of dollars,” said Marcelo Cacho, head of Panay Electric Company’s (PECO) Public Engagement and Government Affairs Marcelo Cacho.

Cacho was referring to the ongoing case of US-based Central Maine Power Company (CMP), which was slapped by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) with a US$10-million penalty last month for the botched rollout of its new billing system, which generated inaccurate bills for thousands of customers.

The MPUC’s investigation revealed that CMP’s GE-i210 meters contained a defect that caused them to record erroneously high usage that did not reflect actual power consumption. While many Americans suffered an average 50-percent increase in rates, some consumers complained that their rates skyrocketed much higher.

Rob DuPaul, a small business owner from Maine, noted that when CMP replaced his meter with the GE-i210, his bill jumped from US$100 to as high as US$1,500, approximately 15 times the amount prior to the installation of the new meter. He had eventually filed for bankruptcy.

CMP has since been required by regulators to upgrade or replace its GE-i210 meters by the end of March.

“This is industry knowledge. We had previously studied the GE-i210 for PECO before, but we deemed it unsuitable and dangerous for consumers,” said Cacho. “Our EDMI-NC30 smart meters are also approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).”

The approved list of meters on the ERC’s website lists both meters, but there is a considerable price difference. The suggested retail price of PECO’s EDMI-NC30 sits at P3,500 per unit with smart meter capabilities, while MORE’s GE-i210 has an SRP as high as P4,200 without such technology.

“Not only do they have to replace at least 57,000 meters at that high of a price, they have also chosen a meter that could financially destroy consumers,” stressed Cacho. “Either they have no idea what they are doing because they lack the technical expertise, or they know exactly what they are doing and pushing through with it anyway.”

“Ilonggos deserve the best. Nothing less, nothing MORE,” he added.