The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has informed the Congress that it will turn over the assessment of the performance of system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) by December.
In a report by Manila Bulletin, ERC chairperson Monalisa C. Dimalanta said that the commission only has until the end of the year to put forward its findings to the President and Congress.
Dimalanta added that the performance review outcome would be submitted together with the approval of the rate reset of NGCP, a task that was expedited as directed by President Marcos Jr. during the peak of Panay Island’s power outages in the first week of January this year.
The ERC chairperson said that the review of NGCP’s rate reset, which began in 2022, is nearing completion. In line with the President’s directive, they are also conducting a thorough performance evaluation of NGCP.
The regulatory commission also said that the ongoing tariff reset for NGCP is likely to bring down rates, which could ease the burden on consumers’ electric bills.
The ERC’s initial decision on NGCP’s 2016-2020 regulatory reset resulted in penalties for delayed transmission projects, setting the stage for a subsequent review of rate adjustments covering the 2021 to 2022 period.
Dimalanta expounded that in NGCP’s performance assessment, the overall reliability of the country’s power system will be comprehensively evaluated, and this should likewise cover projects that have incurred delays.
