The Department of Energy warned Thursday that Luzon and Visayas may have a “tight reserve situation” of 300 megawatts next summer and possibly brownouts by 2014 if the “needed” baseload plants fail to go online.
“Next year will be a tight summer… tight reserve situation. It would probably be around 300 megawatts. I need a baseload of 600 megawatts. Gusto kong i-augment ‘yung baseload,” Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said Thursday in a huddle with news media in Makati.
Almendras admitted that opposition from various sectors and at the local government level is blocking efforts of various groups to add “baseload power plants” to the Luzon and Visayas grids.
“AES Masinloc, hinaharang,” Almendras noted.
US-based AES Corporation acquired the 660 megawatt (MW) Masinloc plant in Zambales for $930 million through international competitive bidding. Financing for the acquisition came from equity investments and subordinated loans of $400 million from US-based AES Corporation and $35 million from the International Financing Corporation (IFC).
The Asian Development Bank also extended a $200-million financing. The balance comes from the IFC and four local commercial banks.
The Energy chief stressed that baseload plants are needed “so we can bring down the generating cost.”
Supply situation may worsen
“Brownout tayo sa 2014,” Almendras said if new power plants are not up and running within the next two years.
He also said the power supply situation could even worsen if the country has another El Niño summer next year.
According to DOE power statistics, the country sources 34 percent of its electricity from coal-fired plants. Only 11.5 percent comes from hydropower sources and about 15 percent from geothermal energy.
Almendras explained why the country is unable to get the baseload power supply from liquefied natural gas or from hydroelectric power plants.
“Wala pa tayong LNG terminal. Mas matagal magtayo ng hydro,” he said.
Almendras also said forthcoming decisions of the Energy Regulatory Commission on various charges that could affect the viability of some energy investments can also affect the country’s power supply scenario in the coming years. — Earl Victor Rosero/VS, GMA News
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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