Gatchalian files resolution to probe crippling power outage in Western Visayas

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a resolution seeking to investigate the power outage that crippled Western Visayas region for a few days at the start of the year.

The senator filed Senate Resolution 891, joining other senators' call for an inquiry into the power interruption in Western Visayas that virtually put Western Visayas into a standstill for a few days early this month. Specifically, Gatchalian wants to review the material portions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and other relevant laws, including the franchise of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), to further prevent blackouts and ensure reliable and continuous electric power supply in the country.

Gatchalian said that the Senate must assess whether it is necessary to remove the NGCP's systems operation function and give it to another entity. According to him, separating NGCP's systems operation function would enable the agency to focus on its transmission network provider function.

"The national grid is the sole backbone for transmitting electricity across the country, and any failure to operate has wide-ranging effects on the economy, public safety, and national security," he said.

The prolonged power outage in Panay has forced the suspension of classes in at least 733 public schools and higher education institutions for two days. Further, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas also claimed the city may have lost up to P1.5 billion in three days following the massive blackout.

Gatchalian noted that the Department of Energy (DOE) has stated that the island-wide blackout was preventable since there was a 2-hour window when NGCP could have proactively called on the distribution utilities in Panay to reduce their load to prevent a sub-system-wide collapse.

The DOE also suggested that the congressional inquiry should delve on the need to vest the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) with the authority to impose a P2 million administrative fine on the transmission concessionaire per day of regulatory rules violation or 1% of the cost of delayed projects based on the ERC-approved project cost and the need to review NGCP's special tax privilege of paying only a 3% franchise tax in lieu of other national and local taxes.

Gatchalian naghain ng resolusyon para imbestigahan ang power outage sa Western Visayas

Naghain si Senador Win Gatchalian ng resolusyon na naglalayong imbestigahan ang pagkawala ng kuryente sa Western Visayas na tumagal sa loob ng ilang araw sa pagsisimula ng taon.

Inihain ng senador ang Senate Resolution 891, at sumama sa panawagan ng iba pang mga senador para imbestigahan ang malawakang power outage sa lugar.

Nais ni Gatchalian na suriin ang Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) at iba pang kaugnay na batas, kabilang ang prangkisa ng National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), upang maiwasan ang mga blackout at matiyak ang maaasahan at tuluy-tuloy na suplay ng kuryente sa buong bansa.

Sinabi ni Gatchalian na dapat i-assess ng Senado kung kailangang tanggalin ang systems operation function ng NGCP at ibigay ito sa ibang entity. Ayon sa kanya, kapag tinanggal na ang systems operation function sa NGCP, matututukan na nito ang transmission.

"Ang NGCP ang nag-iisang grid para sa transmission ng kuryente sa buong bansa, at anumang pagkabigo sa pagpapatakbo nito ay may malawak na epekto sa ekonomiya, kaligtasan ng publiko, at pambansang seguridad," sabi niya.

Dahil sa matagal na pagkawala ng kuryente sa Panay, napilitan ang pagsuspinde ng klase sa 733 pampublikong paaralan at mga kolehiyo sa loob ng dalawang araw. Dagdag pa rito, sinabi ni Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas na ang epekto ng malawakang brownout sa lungsod ay maaaring nagdulot ng pagkawala ng hanggang P1.5 bilyon sa loob lamang ng tatlong araw.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, sinabi na ng Department of Energy (DOE) na pwede sanang naiwasan ang island-wide blackout dahil may 2 oras na window kung saan maaaring aktibong tumawag ang NGCP sa distribution utilities sa Panay upang sabihing bawasan ang kanilang load para maiwasan ang pagbagsak ng kuryente.

Iminungkahi din ng DOE na dapat suriin sa congressional inquiry ang pangangailangang bigyan ang Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) ng awtoridad na magpataw ng P2 milyong administratibong multa sa transmission concessionaire kada araw ng paglabag sa mga panuntunan sa regulasyon o 1% ng halaga ng mga proyektong naaantala batay sa halaga ng proyektong inaprubahan ng ERC at ang pangangailangang repasuhin ang espesyal na pribilehiyo sa buwis ng NGCP na magbayad lamang ng 3% na buwis sa prangkisa bilang kapalit ng iba pang pambansa at lokal na buwis.