‘Enough power supply for next 3 years’

By Eva Visperas (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 1, 2015 - 12:00am

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines – The country has enough power supply for the next three to four years, according to Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla.

“I don’t think we will ever have enough at this point but what I am saying is we have enough at least for the three to four years,” he told reporters.

Petilla was in Lingayen for the annual general assembly of Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative and the ceremonial switch on for the electrification of sitios.

It takes four to five years to build a power plant, Petilla said, when asked about the power situation in 2030 when a power shortage is being feared.

“If you build a plant now for 2030, no one would buy yet,” he said.

“So it’s timing, you finish building a plant if there is already a need, so as far as I’m concerned, based on our projection, we have enough for the next four years, more or less.”

Sixty-six power plants have been or are being put up, but power supply depends on two factors: residential and industrial usage, he added.

It is not true that no investment in energy is being made in the Philippines, Petilla said.

“If you only see there are so many investments,” he said.

“Investments now bloom and grow but the succeeding ones may be small because if you have excess energy, who would buy it?”

Investors would not establish power plants if nobody will buy the output, Petilla said.

Not yet counted among the 66 plants being put up or had been built are the small ones, he added.

These include only the 20 megawatts (MW) and over, he said.

All power plants are “ready for battle,” Petilla said.

He had asked power plants to avoid doing their yearly maintenance during the summer months, but either in February or June and July.

During summer, electricity consumption in Luzon reaches about 6,800 MW, Petilla said.

During the month of May, consumption is expected to reach about 9,100 MW and after summer it will go down again to 6,800 MW, he added.

The energy saving measures of consumers contributed to the no power shortage situation, and weather was also favorable, Petilla said.

Energy authorities are managing the situation ince there are still plants that would do their maintenance in June or July, he added. – Cesar Ramirez source