By Juzel L. Danganan
MANILA, June 29 (PNA) — The National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) has re-filed to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) its proposed Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) rate for wind at Php7.93 per kilowatthour (kWh) from Php8.49 per kWh.
”NREB revised to Php7.93 per kWh from Php8.49 per kWh — but that’s not final yet, it’s still subject to ERC approval,” said Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla at the sidelines of a power plant inauguration held on Sunday.
He advised NREB to lower the rate, expecting the ERC will not give a higher rate than Php8.00 per kWh.
Petilla added he advised the change due to a possibility the Php8.49 per kWh rate results in a stalemate.
NREB re-filed the proposed Wind FIT on June 10, according to Petilla, which was a day after the ERC hearing where NREB was asked present evidence to support its proposed Wind FIT at Php8.49/kWh.
It will accommodate 36 MW of Petrowind Energy Inc’s Nabas Wind Project, 54 MW Trans-Asia’s San Lorenzo Wind Farm and 54 MW Alternergy Wind One Corporation.
The previous FIT rate amounted to Php8.53 per kWh, which was granted to Energy Development Corporation’s (EDC) 50-MW Burgos Wind Farm, 18 MW Northwind and the 81 MW Caparispisan Wind project.
Petilla earlier said he has directed NREB to increase the wind target capacity to 400 MW only, as the future wind projects will have to be bid out.
The National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) is a combination of officials from the public and private sectors, which aims to improve the state of renewable energy in the country.
NREB was created through Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001. (PNA)