Separate Energy Planning For Mindanao

Manila Bulletin

October 16, 2012, 6:20pm

The Department of Energy (DOE) is working on a separate planning strategy for the electricity supply solutions for Mindanao grid.

This will also be in line with the updating of the long-delayed Philippine Energy Plan (PEP), which according to Energy Undersecretary Josefina Patricia Asirit will finally be launched December 14 this year to coincide with the Energy Month Celebration.

For Mindanao, the energy department noted that “a series of consultation instead of IECs (information and education campaign) will be conducted.” The investment and policy roadmap for the grid will be called the “Mindanao Energy Plan.”

Energy officials have noted that the MEP “is being formulated to address the specific energy issues and concerns confronting the region.”

The grid is currently suffering from a curtailment of almost 300 megawatts, with no options set in place during the month-long shutdown of the Mindanao coal-fired plant.

The two-year vacuum in energy planning literally left the power industry stakeholders groping in the dark as to what is the government’s direction in meeting the country’s long-term energy needs.

Having seen the draft or slides of the PEP, however, the industry players commented that they cannot figure out yet the specific policies as well as the targets being set out by government; noting that the parameters are “quite messy and badly  need some cleaning-up.”

In particular, they noted that the timelines incorporated in the PEP are not synchronized with the previous pronouncements of energy officials as to when some specific projects will be set on stream.

Beyond planning delays, the energy department is saddled with more serious problems that have been seeking solutions since the past two years.

Mindanao, so far, is its worst nightmare, but the incubus will soon move to Luzon grid if current leadership will not exercise grit and resolve in sorting out issues impeding project implementations.

Aside from threatening supply shortages, the energy department cannot also disentangle dilemmas leading to the financial mess of its attached energy firms, primarily the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation. (MMV)   source