NAPOCOR eyeing RE shift for SPUG plants

The National Power Corp. (NAPOCOR) is working on a long-term sustainability plan to mitigate the impact of fuel prices on its operations. 

In a report by the Philippine Star, NAPOCOR said that part of its plans is to accelerate the hybridization of Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) power plants with renewable energy resources. 

NAPOCOR is looking into partnerships with the private sector to expedite the deployment of RE in its service areas. It currently has 281 SPUG power plants across off-grid islands in the country, mostly powered by diesel. 

The state-owned company is also working on the preparations for the universal charge for missionary electrification (UCME) graduation through the interconnection of major island grids, and UCME rationalization through customer classification in missionary areas. 

Earlier, NAPOCOR announced that it may distribute power interruptions among 1.3 million households in off-grid areas in the event that it fails to secure additional funding to improve its operations, especially in procuring the necessary fuel to power affected off-grid or island-grid locations. 

NAPOCOR, with the help of the Department of Energy and other government agencies, is pursuing measures to help bridge the funding gap and assure uninterrupted delivery of power services in far-flung islands and villages.