Poe on blackouts amid pandemic

The looming power rate increase coupled with the rotational brownouts in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic could be a triple whammy too much for our people's forbearance.

Why should the Filipino consumers pay more for electricity that comes intermittently and is among the highest rates in Southeast Asia.

We cannot be literally groping in the dark as we fight the unseen virus and manage to live through the new normal of strict quarantines.

That the heat, humidity and increased demand are straining electrical grids should have been anticipated and continuously addressed with a comprehensive energy program that will also look into the capabilities of private distributors and sources of power.

The amendments to the Public Service Act that we are proposing will lead to improved services and lower cost of basic services which our people badly need in this pandemic.

Access to reliable and affordable energy is essential not only for addressing the pandemic, but also for accelerating recovery and building back better.

FILIPINO VERSION:

Ang nakaambang pagtaas ng singil sa kuryente kasabay ng mga rotational brownout sa gitna ng pandemya ay tripleng dagok sa lugmok na nating mga kababayan.

Bakit kailangang magbayad ng mas mahal ang mga kumukunsumo ng kuryenteng pumapalya?

Hindi tayo dapat mangapa sa dilim habang lumalaban sa 'di nakikitang virus.

Ang tag-init at paglaki ng pangangailangan sa kuryente ng taumbayan ay dapat na natantiya at nagawan ng kaukulangang solusyon.

Isinusulong natin ang pag-amyenda sa Public Service Act na magbibigay-daan sa mas mahusay at mababang presyo ng mga pangunahing serbisyo na kailangan ng ating mga kababayan sa gitna ng kahirapan.

Mahalagang mapanitili ang maaasahan at abot-kayang suplay ng kuryente hindi lamang sa pagsugpo sa pandemya, kundi maging sa ating pagbangong muli.

Notes:

• Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI) said the price of electricity in the wholesale electricity spot market has shot up to as much as P16 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in the last two weeks of May.

• LKI said there is a request for Department of Energy (DOE) approval for a power supply agreement for 200 megawatt (MW) for only P5 per kWH that is still pending.

• The red and yellow alerts on the Luzon Grid started on June 1.

• According to the DOE, peak demand was projected at 11,593 for the Luzon Grid on June 1 while supply was only at 11,408 after GN Power Mariveles 2, which has a dependable capacity of 316 MW, had a boiler tube leak. GN Mariveles 1, which also has a dependable capacity of 316 MW has been out of commission since Feb. 6 also because of a boiler tube leak.

• SEM-Calaca Power, which has a dependable capacity of 300 MW has been out since Dec. 3, 2020.

•  TeaM Sual Corp. Sual Unit 2 which has a capacity of 647 MW has been out since May 16 because of a problem with its pressure control valve and is expected to be back online by the third week of June.

• Of the plants that were out, only San Roque Power Corp. which has a capacity of 435 MW scheduled an outage and it was for May 30, 2021 to June 13, 2021.