Although endorsed by the Department of Energy, the solar rooftop project at the Gaisano shopping mall in Iloilo has yet to receive a resolution from the city council showing community acceptability.
A city council resolution of acceptance, a requirement from the Energy Regulatory Commission, is needed before the construction of the solar rooftop project at the Gaisano City shopping mall rooftop begins.
A public hearing on the acceptability of the solar project of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) was conducted by the City Council committee on rules led by Councilor Eduardo Pearedondo and committee on energy and utilities headed by Councilor RLeone Gerochi.
DOE Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said that the project entails no spillovers to the national grid but power would be directly sent to the stallholders of the mall.
In the public hearing, Marasigan said that the solar rooftop project will not engage in the retail market of power distributions but it will “pass through the competitive selection process to benefit consumers.”
An agreement was signed in July between the mall management and EDC to kickstart the solar project for a 20 – year contract on the Iloilo City shopping.
The EDC is a subsidiary of the Lopez-led First Philippine Holdings.