RP needs to build new power plants immediately

Published by rudy Date posted on February 9, 2009

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines badly needs to build 5,000 megawatts of new electric power plants between now and next year so as to avert crippling power outages when the economy is expected to recover.

The warning was issued by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) vice president for energy and utilities Jose S. Alejandro during the chamber’s energy committee meeting the other day.

“The impending power shortages may get delayed due to the deepening economic crisis that may stunt growth in electricity demand. But energy officials must take the lead time to bid out and start building those multi-billion dollar power plant projects,” Alejandro said.

“They should look at the challenge as an opportunity to attract new foreign and local direct investments,” the business leader pointed out.

In an in-depth study made by the Alejandro committee to guide PCCI in its advocacy for cheaper and more dependable power supply, it noted that by 2010 or next year, the Luzon grid will need 3,000 megawatts of new generating capacity to be on the safe side.

It pointed out that the 608 megawatts that the energy department claimed was committed for construction is not there. Committee members also observed that the intermittent brownouts that Luzon consumers experience today are symptoms of the thinning reserve capacity.

The situation in the Visayas is worse, the committee pointed out in the PCCI Energy Roadmap report. Consumer demand for electricity had overtaken supply last year. The region immediately needs 500 megawatts to prevent the now regular power outages to grow into disastrous levels.

The committed construction of 320 megawatts additional capacity is not also there.

In Mindanao, the critical period is this year, when brownouts are expected to start as demand for power will overtake the generating capacity of existing plants. The region also needs investments for a 600-megawatt plant.

The electric power outlook today has moved dangerously close to the situation in the last three years of the Cory administration when, for lack of foresight, the government did not move to replace the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong with new plants and instead, collapsed the Ministry of Energy into just an administrative body. – Philexport News and Features, Philippine Star

July 2025

Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.

Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar.  Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

July


3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 Ju
ly – International Plastic Bag Free Day
 
5 July –
World Youth Skills Day 
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day 
17 July – World Day for
International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons 


Monthly Observances:

Schools Safety Month

Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month

Weekly Observances:

Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week

 

Daily Observances:

First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines

Categories

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.