By Myrna Velasco
October 23, 2013
As Visayas grid is also teetering at experiencing supply shortages by 2015, the Department of Energy (DOE) has been stepping up invitations for investments in the area.
The latest activity pushed by the government to underpin its investments-scouring initiative was the October 23 investment forum held in Cebu.
“We invite potential investors in the Visayas to explore opportunities in the energy sector to develop our indigenous resources,” newly-installed Energy Undersecretary Raul B. Aguilos said.
The energy official was supposed to present the power-supply demand outlook in the Visayas region, coupled with the DOE’s programs to entice investments.
Aguilos mentioned “indigenous resource” on their efforts to corner investments, but that poses disconnect to the looming power supply problems in Visayas and the real-needed solutions.
Most of the projects being developed in the region are coal-fired facilities which run on imported fuel – as local production cannot really meet the sector’s demand.
If Aguilos has been counting on renewable energy sources, such as biomass or even additional geothermal capacities in the area, such technology options may not necessarily satiate the near-term power needs of the region and the DOE must understand that in the first place.
While the undersecretary just got into the helm, stakeholders are trying to be patient as he “learns on the job.” Nevertheless, he cannot take as much sweet time to devote the next three years of Aquino administration’s remaining reign for his learning curve.
The energy department noted that the Cebu forum expected 200 participants from government agencies, financial institutions, donor agencies, generation companies, private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives, among others.
The Cebu forum was a follow-through activity to the initial leg held in Davao last September. The DOE said that was aligned with their goal to draw higher participation for public-private partnership (PPP) – but that is not necessarily the scheme applicable to the energy sector, especially in the power industry. source
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