December 5, 2019 | 12:07 am
THE Department of Energy (DoE) has
asked Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on how the country’s largest electricity
distribution company plans to cope the rise in power demand within its
franchise area, the secretary said.
“I have written Meralco. I’m asking
them on what are their measures to make sure they can cope up with the increase
in demand, and that there is an assurance of supply,” DoE Secretary Alfonso G.
Cusi told reporters.
“I asked them how will they cover
for the increased demand in their franchise area,” he said, adding that the
measures should also cover the coming years.
Mr. Cusi said he also asked electric
cooperatives as well as distribution utilities how they will address the
increasing demand.
He said the rising power demand
could mean “good and bad.”
“Good, because it means the economy
is improving, more activities. Bad, dahil kailangan paspasan ang pag-build
ng (they have to work to build up) capacity, and it’s not that easy,” he
said.
Asked whether he would approve the
terms of reference (TOR) for the competitive bidding of Meralco’s energy
requirements for the coming years, he said: “We have given our recommended TOR
which is we would like to promote open, transparent, competitive selection
process (CSP).”
“I hope they will listen to our
recommendation,” he added.
Mr. Cusi renewed his call for
private companies to build more merchant plants, or those without a forged
power supply agreement (PSA) and sell their energy output in the spot market.
“We want to promote early
construction of power plants, you know that. We have been promoting for
merchant plants,” he said.
“We want those constructed ahead as
merchants to be able to participate in the CSP. We don’t like to limit it (CSP)
only to the power plants to be built,” he added. — Victor V. Saulon
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