Philippine Energy Chief Orders Power Firms To Fast Track Plant Rehab

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 11, 2010) –Philippine Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras has ordered electric firms on Monday to fast track rehabilitation of its plants to mitigate the worsening power crisis in the country.

Almendras said the rehabilitation of power plants is needed since the country is in need of at least 300 megawatt of power this year and another 300 MW in 2012, based on the projection of the Energy department.

“I have given two or three letters already to the companies who have bought government assets, pleading with them to please accelerate the rehabilitation," he said.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said in an October 9 advisory that Mindanao is in need of at least 108 MW this year; Visayas, 141 MW; and Luzon, 686 MW.

Because of the lack of power supply in Mindanao, the NGCP has once more resorted to power curtailment forcing local power utilities to resort to rotational electricity allocations. (Bong D. Fabe)