Published December 26, 2017, 10:00
PM By Myrna M. Velasco
The solar plants logging capacity
dispatch at “witching hours” or when the sun is apparently not up at midnight,
is a serious matter that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has been asked
to seriously investigate because these may have been adding up to the cost
subsidies being passed on to all consumers via the feed-in-tariff allowance
(FIT-All) line item in the electric bills.
In a memorandum lodged to the ERC by
Manila Electric Company (Meralco), an intervenor in the 2017 Feed-in-Tariff
Allowance (FIT-All) application of the National Transmission Corporation
(TransCo), it was stipulated that “midnight generation” for solar power plants
have been recorded at least three times in August, September and October this
year.
The most puzzling of these have been
the solar capacity dispatch at 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. when there had not even a
hue of sun rising – and it was noted that in at least one incident, there was
also a typhoon pounding the site of one of the solar plants with registered
capacity dispatch.
“It is apparent that solar PV
(photovoltaic) generation even during night-time intervals is being reported
repeatedly over time,” the utility firm said.
On that premise, Meralco pleaded
that “all meter data for energy purportedly delivered by RE (renewable energy)
plants must be counter-checked/verified for the purpose of ensuring their
accuracy before the same are considered/included in the calculation of amount
of FIT-All that would be approved under the instant application as well as the
amount of FIT that will be paid to RE developers.”
Nevertheless, according to the
market operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), the reported
evening generation of solar facilities had been based on forecasts and not the
actual metered quantity, being the basis of their FIT payments.
Aside from the evening generation of
solar facilities, Meralco similarly questioned the “differing figures” of the
ERC and the Department of Energy (DoE) on the capacity installations qualifying
for the FIT subsidy.
In its filing with the regulatory
body, Meralco cited several biomass and run-of-river hydropower plants with
higher installed capacities being factored in into the TransCo’s FIT-All
petition.
These include the biomass facilities
of Pangea Green Energy Philippines, Inc., Montalban Methane Power Corporation,
Bicol Biomass Energy Corporation and Green Earth Enersource Corporation; and
the Sabangan and Tudaya hydro facilities of Hedcor, Inc.
“The difference in capacity in said
lists, in particular, an increase in the total amount of more than 10MW, is
significant as it will contribute to an increase in the FIT-All rate,” Meralco
stressed. It added that “the projected RE generation should be determined by
using only the approved installed capacity.”
ERC Chairperson Agnes T. Devanadera
said they will look into the matter when they will finally evaluate TransCo’s
FIT-All application.
As prescribed by rules, “the meter
data is the basis for payment of FIT rates to FIT-eligible RE developers,” and
it is worth noting that “RE developers are paid per kWh generated as reflected
in their respective meters.”
Meralco thus emphasized that “the
accuracy of meter data is crucial when it comes to determining the appropriate
FIT to which RE developers are entitled to.”
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