The Ilocos Times

  OPERATIONAL REFORM. Linemen of Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) replace old electric posts in Laoag City in this undated photo. INEC on Friday (July 31, 2026) welcomed the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to revisit the Electric Power Industry Reform Act . (Contributed Photo) By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) has intensified its efforts to reduce system loss by strengthening power distribution management, curbing electricity theft, and upgrading its electrical infrastructure to improve service efficiency and reliability. In a letter addressed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. following his fifth State of the Nation Address , INEC general manager Cipriano Martinez III shared the ongoing operational reforms being undertaken over the past three years by the lone electric distribution utility here to reduce system losses. “We at INEC, hear you, Mr. President. As the electric cooperative of your home province, no...

The new 20-megavolt-amperes Bacarra, Ilocos Norte substation in this June 10, 2026 photo. (ei Adriano) LAOAG CITY—Electricity cost in Ilocos Norte was the lowest in Luzon in May, according to the Department of Energy's monthly monitoring of residential rates. The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) posted an unbundled residential rate of PHP10.1399 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), the lowest among all Luzon electric cooperatives and distribution utilities included in the ranking in May. INEC's actual residential electricity rate for the period stands at PHP12.2872/kWh. "We achieved this milestone because of our mix contract and efficient trading while securing our base load. Amidst the oil crisis, our rates were reduced while others increased," INEC general manager Cipriano Martinez III said during a media conference at the INEC main branch in Dingras. Martinez assured the public that the management will continue to maintain a relatively lower electricity ra...

SMART GRID. Officials of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, National Electrification Administration Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda and Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan lead the ceremonial switching of the advanced metering infrastructure project at the INEC main branch in Dingras, Ilocos Norte on Jan. 15, 2025. The smart metering system will be deployed in the towns of  Nueva Era, Dingras, Pagudpud, Bacarra, Badoc and the city of Laoag for pilot testing in the first quarter of this year. ( Photo grab from NEA’s FB page) By Leilanie Adriano Dingras , Ilocos Norte—Government and commercial buildings in five municipalities and a city in Ilocos Norte will be tapped to pilot smart meters in the first quarter of 2025. The smart metering system will be pilot-tested in the towns of Nueva Era, Dingras, Pagudpud, Bacarra, Badoc and the city of Laoag, Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) acting general manager Cipriano Martinez said. National E...

INEC acting general manager Cipriano Martinez LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) said it is in talks with the Ayala-led ACEN Corporation for supply of clean energy and to lower the power rates in the province. “We are talking with power providers like ACEN to find ways where ACEN can come in to provide power to us,” INEC acting general manager Cipriano Martinez said in a statement, noting that the provincial government is also pushing for a possible tripartite agreement to ensure further decline in power rates for consumers. This month, households continue to enjoy a single-digit power rate of   PHP9.086/kWh as a result of efficient trading in the wholesale spot market and continuous negotiations with power suppliers. To sustain a steady decline of power rates, Martinez assured consumers that his team, with the support of the national and provincial governments, is working things out to get supply at a lower cost. Earlier, INEC entered into an emergency...

INEC acting general manager Cipriano Martinez Dingras , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) announced a five-year plan to upgrade its distribution system to solve perennial power outages in the province, which is expected to cost around PHP3 billion. The average daily electricity demand of the cooperative’s 183,000 members rose to 67 megawatts from 40 megawatts due to El Niño phenomenon, acting general manager Cipriano Martinez said in a press conference at the INEC main office in Dingras said. “Whatever it takes, we will do that (upgrading of the system) to become efficient in distribution,” Martinez said, citing the plan to take out a loan from the National Electrification Administration (NEA). Engineer Jenner Pablo, INEC Construction, Operation and Maintenance Division manager, said at least three of their substations are nearly reaching 100 percent capacity and the other transformers are overloaded, hence, the need to make some adjustments to address the...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Dingras , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) is set to share its blessings to all the member-consumer-owners (MCOs) on its 50 years foundation anniversary with the theme “ 50 Years of Rural electrification, Sparking Rural Development and Progress for Member-Consumer-Owners (MCOs)”. INEC institutional service department (ISD) manager Clemencia Cariaga announced that they will celebrate their foundation anniversary in the whole of CY 2021 thru gifts. Cariaga said all MCOs have the chance to win daily, monthly prizes as well as the grand draw on July 7, 2021 via electronic draw upon payment of their electric bills. Starting this February, there will be two winners of two electric fans daily per area and they will still have the chance to win one refrigerator, one washing machine, one water dispenser, two tablets and one sack of rice as prizes.in the monthly draws On July 7, 2021, the grand prize-gift is a tricy...

  INEC GM Felino Agdigos speaks before the Laoag City council. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Dingras , Ilocos Note—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) is set resume disconnection operations in August 2020 for unpaid power bills for the months of March and April. It was during March and April where the national government declared an enhanced community quarantine in the country, including Ilocos Norte. INEC general manager Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos stressed that the four-month grace period for the ECQ ends in August. “ Ket no saan da mabayadan ket isun to tay pinangiyuswat mi tay disconnection kasi napaot metten didiay a pawayway kadakwada ,” Agdigos explained. He disclosed that INEC will start with the disconnection on August 18, 2020 for unsettled bills during the ECQ. The disconnection operation will apply for both residential and commercial consumers.   Liwanag Pantawid program Meanwhile , Agdigos also announced...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) general manager Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos announced that power rates continue to decrease starting in November last year up to the present. INEC records show that electricity rates for residential consumers decreased by PHP 0.65 from PHP9.07 to P8.42 from October to November billing last year.   Likewise, INEC reported another decrease from PHP 8.42 to PHP 7.84, or a decrease of 58 centavos from November to December billing.    INEC also recorded another decrease of 49 centavos for the December to January billing from PHP 7.84 to PHP 7.34. “ Makagapu ket nababa iti presyo iti kuryente nga agdama iti Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) ken iti kinababa latta tay kontrata tayo iti AES Philippines ket sapay la kuma ta agtultuloy a bumaba kasi naawat in tay preliminary bills iti daytoy a bulanen, ” Mr. Agdigos explained. As the power...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter INEC managers headed by general manager Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos and members of the Board of Directors headed by board President Enrico Pacifico Ruiz receive numerous awards from NEA and Philreca during the 2019 NEA-EC-MCO's Convention on Rural Electrification held at PICC in Pasay City from August 6-9, 2019. (Photo courtesy of INEC) Dingras , Ilocos Norte—In celebration of the National Electrification Administration’s (NEA) 50 th anniversary and the 2019 NEA-EC-MCO Convention on Rural Electrification held August 6-8 at PICC in Pasay City, the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) received numerous major and minor awards from NEA and the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA) during the awarding ceremony. INEC general manager Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos announced that the awards are results of the cooperative’s continuing service to its member-consumer-owners. INEC was recogni...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) disclosed that one of the main reasons for the frequent power interruptions recently was due to the relocation of distribution lines, which the Dept. of Public Works and Highways’’ road-widening projected affected. INEC board president Enrico Ruiz made this claim adding that other causes of power interruptions recently were the termination and testing of new control switchgear of the Laoag 2 sub-station; isolation and switching of Laoag 1 & 2 sub-station; installation of intermediate pole; restructuring of primary line; rerouting of secondary lines; NGCP APMT of Laoag 50MVA transformer; simultaneous maintenance of controlling breaker for Laoag-Marcos 69 KV Line; and replacement of rotten poles. “ Idi ngamin napalabas nga election ket iti covenant mi ket saan a mabalin nga agpukaw iti kuryente before, during and after the election. Ket itan ta nalpasen ti el...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) conducted its 45 th Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) meeting in four venues this year. The AGMA was held on March 30, April 7, 13 and 27, 2019 in Burgos, Batac, Laoag and Dingras, respectively. In a press interview, INEC’s Institutional Services Dept. (ISD) manager Menchie Cariaga took the opportunity with the members of the tri-media to invite all the member-consumer-owners of INEC to attend said meeting. The AGMA aimed to bring all the member-consumers-owners of INEC for presentation of the accomplishment reports of the cooperative for the year 2018 and its present status. Ms. Cariaga said the INEC general manager Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos and INEC board president Enrico Ruiz reported on the managerial concern and the present status of INEC for the past year and present. Financial status of INEC was be reported so the public may know its...

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—With Dept. of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi recommending the cancellation and revocation of 17 electric cooperatives in the entire country, the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative here joined 121 other electric cooperatives in the simultaneous “Black Valentine” protest on February 14, 2019 As a result, all INEC sub-stations held a “special flag ceremony” with all their employees wearing black shirts to express their opposition to Mr. Cusi’s recommendation. The protest was mainly in reply to an advisory released by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) Inc. which encouraged all electric cooperatives to join and participate in the “Black Valentine” and “Black Friday” Protest to depict that all ECs organizations and all their allies are “mourning over the inimical acts of DOE secretary Cusi who also endorsed the approval of the HB 9179 and making ways to revoke the franc...