In a favorable development, the Court of Appeals has lifted its freeze order on certain bank accounts of the Sunwest Water & Electricity Co. (SUWECO), easing fears that hours-long rotating brownouts would ensue if the power company ran out of cash to pay for fuel and other expenses.
According to a source in the power industry confirmed that early last week, SUWECO officials received a copy of the court resolution lifting the freeze order on the company’s operating accounts.
However, it is claimed that SUWECO needs to comply with certain conditions before the resolution could take effect.
The company’s legal counsels were reported to be talks with members of the management to discuss the undisclosed conditions, the compliance of which would have to be submitted to the appeals court.
It may be recalled that last week, the Tribune reported that an agreement was being crafted to flesh out details of the Department of Energy’s directive for the island’s electric cooperative to purchase fuel for the diesel gensets of SUWECO that would keep it operating in spite of its frozen bank accounts.
SUWECO has a total of 22 diesel generating sets as its two Marinawa power plants, Viga diesel power plant and the EPSA power plant, with an average fuel consumption of more than 5,000 liters per genset per day.
The fuel inventory on Dec. 13, 2025 showed that that fuel for the Marinawa DPPs would last for four (4) days or until Dec. 17, 2025 while that of the EPSA and Viga DPP will be good for six and 15 days, respectively.
In case SUWECO’s main diesel power plants stop operation due to lack of fuel, FICELCO would have to purchase around 600,000 liters good for 15 days and costing about P35 million at current prices.
If the EPSA power plant is utilized 24/7, it would consume another 700,000 liters costing more than P45 million for the same 15-day period.
As of Wednesday, Dec. 18, however, the inventory of diesel fuel for the SUWECO power plants is stable due to continuous delivery of fuel by its supplier.
The fuel for the Marinawa 1 DPP, Marinawa 2 DPP, EPSA and Viga DPP were at 4 days, 4 days, 10 days and 13 days, respectively, a source said.
Five of the company’s gensets are undergoing repair.
Assuming fuel deliveries are not hampered following the lifting of the freeze order, it is likely that the DOE Secretary Sharon Garin would take back her order directing FICELCO as well as Tablas Island Electric Cooperative to procure fuel for the operation of Sunwest gensets and keep the supply of electricity stable.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) may have asked the Court of Appeals to partially lift the freeze order on bank accounts of SUWECO majority owner and former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co after the AMLC chairperson, Bangko Sentral Eli Remolona Jr. received a written explanation of the situation in the two off-grid areas affected by Sunwest’s dilemma.
National Electrification Administration (NEA) chief Antonio Mariano Almeda visited Catanduanes and Tablas last week to discuss the power situation with cooperative officials.