By Sammy F. Martin
MANILA, Oct. 20 (PNA) — The House Committee on Energy said on Monday they have moved the timeline of the passage of President Benigno S. Aquino III’s request for emergency powers after officials from the Department of Energy (DOE) expressed openness to relying solely on privately-owned generator sets (Gensets) to address the looming power shortage next year.
Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, the chairman of the panel, said he is now aiming for the chamber to approve the joint resolution granting emergency powers to President Aquino before Dec. 1 instead of Oct. 29.
“We hope to approve the joint resolution in the House before December 1… We will still approve [the President’s request for emergency powers], but the provision regarding the rental of generator sets will no longer be there,” Umali told reporters at the sidelines of the committee hearing to determine the energy requirements of the country during the summer of 2015.
The lawmaker earlier set a deadline of Oct. 29 for the House to pass the joint resolution to give the Executive branch ample time to lease or purchase generator sets ahead of the intervals when power supply is expected to be tight starting March 2015.
In its place, the House energy panel is looking to encourage more businesses to sign up for the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) to increase the power reserves available next summer.
The program involves asking malls, factories and other business entities to use their own generator sets when the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines expects the supply of electricity to fall short of demand.
As of Monday, the private sector has committed 847 megawatts under the ILP, with a de-rated or usable capacity of 593 MW.
Energy Undersecretary Raul Aguilos said the ILP can solve the protracted power shortfall in Luzon next year provided that 700 MW is committed by the private sector.
“As long as we can get the assurance from [private firms] and have them sign up [for ILP] already at this point in time, we’ll no longer have a problem,” he said.
According to the DOE’s outlook for 2015, a reserve shortfall of 21 MW to 31 MW is expected to occur in the first two weeks of April 2015.
This translates to one-hour rotating brownouts once a week based on the calculation of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
The DOE earlier warned that a five-day rotating brownout lasting for three hours may occur in Luzon next summer if Congress does not grant President Aquino’s request for emergency powers.
With the DOE and private stakeholders coming to a consensus about ILP as a preferred option to address the power crisis next year, Umali said Congress can have more time to iron out the provisions of the joint resolution for emergency powers.
“The only reason why we’re trying to rush [the approval of the joint resolution] is we’re trying to beat the deadline that will foreclose the options of leasing or purchasing additional generating capacity. If the [solution] will be purely ILP, then we can pass the joint resolution even in January or February,” he said in jest. (PNA)