(The Philippine Star) | Updated February 24, 2017 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines -
The Department of Energy said yesterday regulators would come up with a unified
policy to guide power players on the way forward following a Feb. 21 temporary
restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court against the implementation
of the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) regime.
The RCOA is a key
component of Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of
2001, the law that reformed the power industry by opening it to more players.
In a press briefing
yesterday, Energy Undersecretary William Fuentebella said the DOE, the Energy
Regulatory Commission and the Philippine Electricity Market Corp., the operator
of the country’s electricity market, would comply with the Supreme Court.
“We will talk with ERC
and PEMC for a unified policy for players to be guided,” he said.
He said the unified
position of the DOE, ERC and PEMC would allay concerns raised by market players
on the impact of the TRO and provide a “balanced playing field” to those who
have signed to participate in the open access regime.
At the same time, he
said DOE would also explore legal remedies.
The Supreme Court acted
on the petition filed by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, San
Beda College Alabang Inc., Ateneo de Manila University and Riverbank
Development Corp. which said customers must be given a choice to stay with
their current distribution utility suppliers.
There are still around
20 percent or 221 contestable customers who have not chosen their own suppliers
prior to the Feb, 26 deadline set by ERC and the department.
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