Consunji eyes remote power grids of Napocor

Manila Standard Today
by Alena Mae S. Flores


DMCI Power Corp. has expressed interest in the privatization of power generation in some areas covered by National Power Corp.’s Small Power Utilities Group, a company official said Monday.


“Our focus this year is on [Napocor] SPUG areas. We will bid as much as possible,” DMCI Power chairman Isidro Consunji said.


Napocor, through its SPUG division, is looking at privatizing the power requirements of Mindoro and Palawan in the first quarter of the year.


The competitive selection process for Napocor-SPUG’s off-grid areas is part of the major reforms in the power sector. It gives private investors an opportunity to build, own and operate generation facilities to supply the missionary or far-flung areas not covered by major grids.


The Electric Power Industry Reform Act has tasked Napocor-SPUG to provide electricity to remote islands and far-flung, inland barangays that are not connected to any of the main grids after around 90 percent of its generating assets have been privatized.


Napocor president Froilan Tampinco said earlier the agency planned to offer the remaining 12 SPUG areas to private power companies.


There were 14 SPUG areas previously offered for private sector participation, namely Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Palawan, Catanduanes, Bantayan, Masbate, Tablas, Romblon, Camotes, Siquijor, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Sulu.


“Out of the 14, actually our concentration is on 12 areas only. Two areas are relatively successful and that’s Bantayan and Masbate. So we will offer the remaining 12, and our first thrust will be Mindoro and Palawan,” Tampinco said.


DMCI president Nestor Dadivas said the company would look at three areas up for privatization, namely Palawan, Mindoro and Catanduanes.