Electricity

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) is readying plans to meet the country’s energy requirements amid the critical situation this year, most especially during the summer months.

MANILA, Philippines – For budget-conscious power consumers, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) offers a handy – and free – tool to help them manage their electricity consumption better.

CEBU, Philippines – The Trade Union Congress Party expressed its vehement objection to the start of the wholesale Electricity Spot Market in the Visayas on December 26 last year.

MANILA, Philippines –  The operation the wholesale electricity spot market (WESM) in the Visayas has been going on smoothly, an energy official said.

MANILA, Philippines – Starting this month, senior citizens will enjoy a five-percent discount on their electricity bills, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said yesterday.

LUZON could face three-hour blackouts this year if the power demand reaches a peak of 7,900 megawatts and power plants break down, while the summer is likely to bring water shortages later in the year, an official told the Manila Standard.

POWER DISCOUNTS for senior citizens will finally push through as the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) promises to pass final rules by this month.

THE MANILATIMES 2010 YEARENDER WITH the Philippines hit by one of the worst El Niño episodes in years, the extreme weather conditions of 2010 exposed the power sector’s inability to render reliable support to the country’s electricity needs.

In the past months, experts have warned that a power crisis looms next year, with Mindanao to be hit hard together with Luzon, including Metro Manila. The latest warning came from an official of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, who said that with unstable supply and no new generating capacity expected soon, the…

The National Power Corp. (Napocor) needs at least P3 billion to rehabilitate the Agus-Pulangi hydropower plants in Mindanao to increase their capacities by 100-200 megawatts (MW).

Exasperated over ever rising electricity bills, consumer protection groups yesterday sought the government takeover of the power industry to shield the public from further unwarranted hikes in local electricity rates which they said has become the world’s highest.

MANILA, Philippines –  In a meeting with energy and power players and industry stakeholders, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the largest business organization in the country, lauded AES Philippines, owner of the Masinloc power plant, for its initiative to fast track the upgrading of its power plants.

MANILA, Philippines – Contrary to claims of his predecessor, President Aquino said only 61 percent of the country — and not 99 percent — has electricity. He said his administration, with a budget of P1.4 billion for the energy department for next year, is determined to bring electricity to the remaining parts of the country,…

THE COUNTRY’S biggest business group yesterday warned that power supply will have to be increased if the economy is to sustain growth.

The House of Representatives will review the implementation of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) law, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said on Friday. Belmonte was referring to the law that mandates the government to sell 70 percent of the plants of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) within three years from its enactment. The…

WHO MUST PAY?: Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone is right. Why should we captive electricity consumers be made to suffer and pay for the mismanagement and anomalies in the National Power Corp.?

First it was the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco); now it’s the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (Wesm) and the National Power Corp. (Napocor); another time, it will be the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP); and then it’ll be Meralco’s turn again. The power rate gouging just goes on and on, constantly keeping our power…

MANILA, Philippines – The anticipated implementation of open access in the electric power industry will be realized by the third quarter of 2011, a top energy official said.

DAVAO CITY — The government and power companies should work on a clear plan to avert, or at least mitigate, the power supply lack Mindanao is expected to experience again during summer next year, the leader of the island’s main business chamber said during a meeting on the issue last week.

MANILA, Philippines—State-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) said it would resume before the end of the year the process of selling the remaining government-owned power plants and contracted capacities.

Our last column outlined the “power plunder” being inflicted on the people by the collusion between Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), as well as by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, with Therma Marine Inc. of the Aboitiz group.

Concerned citizens are asking Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and ERC Chairman Zeny Ducat to reject the petition for another round of rate increases by Meralco for its so-called distribution, supply and metering (DSM) charges.

MANILA, Philippines – A private think-tank has called on Congress to review the existing law on electric power reform to strike out a provision allowing cross ownership between generation and distribution companies.

Last Sept. 29, Meralco announced the strong likelihood of its exceeding the company’s core net income target of P11 billion for 2010. Set on top of its reported P7-billion income for 2009, this is already well beyond a whopping 60-percent profit growth that’s sure to signal a lot more happier days for the power firm.

MANILA, Philippines – Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone asked President Aquino yesterday to stop the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp. from borrowing more than P50 billion next year.

MANILA, Philippines – Mindanao-based distribution utilities and electric cooperatives said that the zero brownout that the island is enjoying right now is “only temporary”.

CLARK FIELD (PLDT/WeRoam) — Killer typhoon “Juan” had not landed yet last Friday, but Metro Manila and other areas were already being battered blind by rotating power blackouts lasting hours.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras has ordered utilities that bought government assets to fast track the rehabilitation of power plants to mitigate the worsening power crisis in the country.

The country’s biggest business group yesterday warned of more crippling power outages unless plants were upgraded and more investment in the sector was allowed to go ahead.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is urging the government to review and adopt measures and possible alternatives in response to a looming power crisis.