Published
April 21, 2018, 10:00 PM By Myrna M. Velasco
The Department of
Energy (DOE) has laid down contingency measures that energy service providers
could opt for to sustain their operations despite the island’s closure to
tourists’ influx in the next four to six months.
The first initiative
set forth by Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi through the Cabinet would be the
deployment of electric tricycles, “to address problem of sound pollution” in
the island.
He said the energy
department has yet to assess how many e-trikes could be deployed in the island,
especially when it re-opens for massive tourism draw toward the latter part of
this year.
On power supply, the
energy chief admitted that there shall be sudden downtrend in demand and that
could weigh down on the operations of the servicing power utility in the area,
mainly for Aklan Electric Cooperative (AKELCO).
Cusi’s prescription
then is for AKELCO to temporarily negotiate with its power suppliers for
downward adjustment in their capacity off-take or power supply agreements while
the island is closed for rehabilitation.
The DOE chief has
already instructed Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella to discuss this
specific recommendation with the Aklan power utility.
“I gave instruction to
(Usec) Wimpy, to talk already to the EC on what their options are so they won’t
be telling us that they just settle on that cost pass-on mentality,” he
reiterated.
Cusi similarly asserted
that he is not amenable to proposals of passing on to consumers whatever losses
the utility firm will incur during the six-month capacity cut on its service
delivery.
“The electric
cooperative must talk to the GenCo (generation company) on the adjustment of
the contract for the period, entailing that this is an emergency situation,
hence, they should momentarily have to sell their generation volume to other
off-takers or end-users,” Cusi stressed.
One viable alternative,
he said, will be for the GenCos to channel their capacities to the Wholesale
Electricity Spot Market (WESM), especially the part of the pie that could not
be used up yet in Boracay island.
“I am well aware that
the negative side is: there would be contracted supply that cannot be used. But
for them to say, let the other consumers pay for it, we are not amenable to
that,” Cusi said.
He emphasized it is
already apparent that there will be reduction in electricity demand because of
the interim non-operation of the hotels and resorts, “but throwing that
capacity in the WESM for the meantime could be the best recourse.”
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