Lawmaker makes appeal to aircon users amid looming power shortage

November 15, 2014 10:20 am

A lawmaker from the House minority bloc is calling on all users of air conditioners – including malls, homeowners and government offices – to help avert the expected power supply shortage in summer next year.
Isabela Rep. Rodolfo T. Albano 3rd made the pitch in light of thin power reserves in the coming summer months that could result in power outages, as he backed the Department of Energy (DOE)’s campaign for malls, private building owners, government offices and households to turn the thermostat of their cooling systems to 25 degrees Celsius from March to June next year.
“While the concerned agencies of government, including Congress, are working together to address the power shortage next year, it is also important that each of us will do its share,” Albano said.
“It makes a lot of sense if we all do our share in our own little way to save electricity. Every kilowatt of power saved would have a significant impact to ease if not minimize the projected power supply shortfall next year, and we get to save much needed cash too,” he said.
Albano is a member for the Minority in the House Committee on Energy and a former executive director of the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC).
Energy saving experts said that turning off lights and unplugging appliances not in use can reduce energy consumption up to 10 percent at the very least, he noted, urging the public to practice energy-saving tips and stressing the importance of the basic advice “to turn off or unplug all electric appliances and lights when not in use.”
The DoE had earlier announced that it is implementing mandatory energy saving measures following the projection of a deficit of at least 300-megawatt (MW) in March to June 2015.
DoE Secretary Jericho Petilla signed a circular order that enjoins all sectors to implement energy conservation measures to reduce demand for electricity.
Albano cited Petilla as saying that aside from the malls, government offices and government owned and controlled corporations will be covered by the guidelines while hospitals, airports and call center offices will be exempted as this might affect their operations.
Reina Tolentino, The Manila Times source