Business Mirror
SUNDAY, 18 MARCH 2012 18:25 PAUL ANTHONY A. ISLA
THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP)—the country’s sole power lines concessionaire–said the cause of the recent spate of power curtailment in the Mindanao Grid is the acute shortage of power in the region.
The NGCP said in a statement that curtailment does not involve any transmission-related issue and certainly not the refusal of the NGCP to fully use capacities from the hydropower plants.
The NGCP denied allegations it is keeping excess power to simulate power shortage and that it does not fully disclose the real power situation in Mindanao. It said the power capacities from hydro-electric plants are not fully utilized by NGCP, which serves as the grid system operator.
“It does not benefit us to withhold supply as the NGCP cannot have a direct or indirect stake or interest in the generation and distribution businesses,” said Cynthia Perez-Alabanza, NGCP’s spokesperson and adviser for External Affairs.
She said Section 45 of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) prohibits NGCP from having any interest in generation and distribution. Its mandate is limited to the maintenance, expansion and improvement of the nationwide transmission backbone.
Alabanza said the generation and distribution of electricity are functions legally and physically beyond NGCP’s control.
The NGCP maintained the load curtailment and power interruptions currently experienced in Mindanao are attributed to a “generation deficiency” or lack of baseload power supply generated by plants.
(Paul Anthony Isla)
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