The Department of Energy (DOE) has directed all Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) participants to follow the existing rules and regulations, and continue their trading operations amid the Enhanced Community Quarantine to ensure that there is continuous delivery of sufficient power supply.
“I am calling for the utmost cooperation and compliance of our industry participants at this time. A decline in power demand does not mean that operations could and should be put to rest. In fact, as we battle the COVID-19 crisis, now is the time for us to double our efforts to ensure that we can provide sufficient and continuous electricity services to each and every household, as well as across key industries of our country,” DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.
The DOE with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will ensure there will be fair and efficient operations of WESM by monitoring the compliance of all trading participants, Cusi added.
DOE explained that generating units will not be allowed to shut down except for planned maintenance and forced outages due to technical problems.
“These are trying times so we need to work together in the spirit of Bayanihan to provide the necessary services to our people,” Secretary Cusi concluded.