By: Daxim L. Lucas Philippine Daily
Inquirer / 12:38 AM October 06, 2016
The administration of President
Duterte has set a 100 percent electrification target for the entire Philippine
archipelago in four years’ time as part of its program to spread the benefits
of economic growth to stakeholders at the grassroots level.
Speaking before businessmen
recently, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the plan also called for the
linking of all power grids in the country’s three island groups within the
six-year term of Mr. Duterte.
“We are aiming for total
electrification of every household throughout our three major islands by 2020,”
Cusi said in a speech before European businessmen. “We are also targeting a
‘one-grid Philippines’, with the Mindanao grid finally interlocking with the
Visayas and Luzon grids, not later than 2022.”
During the EU-Philippines business
summit, the Energy chief encouraged participants to invest in the power sector
given the growing electricity needs of the local economy.
“Our priorities in the sector remain
centered on energy security, with stark focus on increasing supply, improving
reliability and resiliency of our energy infrastructure,” said Cusi.
He explained policymakers were set
to “identify the portfolio of installed and dependable power capacities,
specifically for base load, mid-merit and peaking requirements” and would hold
energy investment fora and regional energy investment briefings.
He said the projects should enjoy
“expeditious and preferential treatment in the permitting process, should be
protected from court injunctions, and be entitled to incentives, such as
exemption from real property taxes and other local taxes.”
He also said the DOE would “resolve
with finality the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant impasse.”
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