DOE urged for full disclosure on FIT-2 investigation

doe-urged-for-full-disclosure-on-fit-2-investigation

The Department of Energy (DOE) is urged to fully disclose the investigation on controversies surrounding the second round of Feed – in – Tariff program for solar energy (Solar FIT–2).

The Philippine Solar Power Alliance (PSPA) expressed its support for Energy Secretay Alfonso Cusi’s decision to apply the rule of law on the Solar FIT-2.

“The Alliance agrees with the proposal of Secretary Cusi to exclude solar companies that failed to dispatch power to the national grid based on the merit order as recorded in the meter of the wholesale market operated by the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC),” PSPA president Maria Theresa Capellan said.

PSPA recently called for transparency and a level playing in validating the awarding of the FIT – 2 endorsements to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) since the process followed a “first – come, first – served” rule.

The solar power player has asked the DOE to release the dispatch schedules from PEMC and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) – including dates of permit issuances.

“With the full disclosure of the results of the fact-finding conducted by the Department of Energy (DOE), the Alliance believes that all investors’ jitters will go away and confidence in the business climate will likewise be fully restored,” Capellan said.

Capellan added that the energy department must leave no stone unturned during their investigation especially with billions of investments made by solar firms are on the line.

DOE created an investigation committee in September to study the FIT 2 implementation following complaints filed by solar companies.

Industry reports said that some of the solar projects were given the FIT 2 despite late dispatch of power and partial energization.