Gov’t to monitor NGCP performance

Manila Bulletin 
By Myrna M. Velasco 
Published: August 27, 2013 
The government, via the joint assessment team formed by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) and the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), will closely monitor the performance of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) based on the provisions and intent of their 25-year Concession Agreement.
The creation of the Joint Annual Technical, Regulatory, Financial and Legal Compliance Assessment Team (Joint TRFLAT) was mutually enforced by PSALM President Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. and TransCo President Rolando T. Bacani.
The overall team leaders are department manager Rico P. Valdellon on PSALM’s part; and TransCo has designated department manager Bienvenido D. Valeros.
The initial coverage of the assessment on NGCP’s performance will be year 2012; although the creation of the evaluating team was only last month.
On the technical scope of NGCP’s performance appraisal, the team leaders are PSALM division manager Jacinto M. Ilagan; and TransCo corporate staff officer Joseph R.M. Atienza.
The scrutiny on regulatory compliance of the transmission firm concessionaire will be led by Dinna O. Dizon, department manager of Transco; and Maria Concepcion B. Mendoza-Baldueza, corporate attorney at PSALM.
On financial matters, the team will be spearheaded by PSALM’s finance division manager Marilou H. Gappe; and TransCo finance department manager Erlyn C. Laygo. The legal purview of assessment will have TransCo department manager Gina Lourdes D. Valeros and Mendoza-Baldueza of PSALM in the lead.
As mandated under Joint Memorandum Order No. 2013-011, the teams shall “conduct review and assessment of NGCP’s compliance with the Concession Agreement” and they are also required to submit report and give recommendations based on the outcomes of their evaluations.
It was further prescribed that “the annual result of the compliance assessment shall be reported every end October of the year following the year assessed to both PSALM and TransCo management committees for information and direction.”
NGCP’s performance had been thrown into the lens of public scrutiny after some incidents which plunged the country, primarily the Luzon grid, into unwanted power interruptions.
On government’s end, officials noted that they would want to have frequent and official validation of the performance of the transmission assets’ concessionaire – so they could have gauge to call on its shortcomings as well as to guide it on needed system and operational improvements.   source