Energy chief warns of tight power supply

MANILA, Philippines – The country will experience tightness in power supply if the 600-megawatt coal-fired plant of RP Energy does not come in by 2015 or early 2016, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said yesterday.

“I am counting on RP Energy to come in 2015 or early 2016. Otherwise, supply at that time will be tight,” Petilla said.

RP Energy is a consortium composed of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) Power Generation Corp., Aboitiz Power Corp. and Taiwan Cogeneration International Corp.

However, the project is facing roadblocks after the Court of Appeals affirmed its earlier ruling invalidating the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to RP Energy for the power plant to be built inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

In a recent briefing, Meralco president Oscar Reyes said Meralco has appealed the CA ruling before the Supreme Court through the filing of a Motion for Review.

“We remain hopeful that RP Energy can move forward at the earlier possible time as the Luzon Grid and Meralco’s franchise area will definitely benefit from the new capacity it will bring to avert power supply availability risks,” Reyes said.

President Aquino in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22 also stressed the need to build new power plants now to address the country’s growing power needs.

“I believe in renewable energy and we support its use, but there should also be baseload plants that can ensure a steady supply of electricity for our homes and industries,” Aquino said during his SONA.

“I wonder if those who are critical of the plants we want put up will be as noisy when they are busy fanning themselves during brownouts. All I am really saying is this: Let us help each other find a solution,” he also said.

Aquino supported the construction of RP Energy’s 600-MW coal plant.

“The plant in Redondo, Zambales is a good example. A TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) was issued against the plant because of the argument that renewable energy is better. Did they happen to mention that renewable energy is also more expensive – from the cost of building the plants to the eventual price of energy?” he said.

“Did they mention that it cannot provide the baseload – the capacity required to make sure brownouts do not occur? If you put up a wind-powered plant, what do you do when there is no wind? If you put up a solar plant, what do you when the sky is cloudy?” Aquino also said in his speech.

Meralco officials said the fate of the plant is now in the courts. –Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star)