Government should address power grid projects – energy coalition

A coalition of energy consumers and stakeholders says that the government should prioritize addressing the insufficiency in the power industry. 

Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy’s Chief Advocate Officer Nic Satur, Jr. said the government must take action in carrying out the implementation of the deferred National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) grid projects, especially those in the areas involved in the power supply issues last week. 

In a statement to Business World, Satur said that red and yellow alerts in the country’s energy sector meant that there are urgent concerns in the power supply, and these alerts are critical measures that determine the reliability of the energy infrastructure. 

This statement came after the Luzon and Visayas grid were issued red and yellow alerts due to the limited power supply, which was unable to measure up to the regulating requirement.

To lessen the severity of the ineffectuality in the energy sector, Satur agreed to the proposal of Minimal Government Thinkers’ President Beinvenido Oplas Jr. 

Oplas Jr. suggested that the government accomplish the already hampered projects by the systems operator like the Visayas Voltage Improvement Project and the Cebu-Lapu-Lapu Transmission Project to pave the way for better electricity service in the region.

Satur further added that the country has to deal with red and yellow alerts every summer because of insufficient power supply, as well as unscheduled power plant shutdowns aggravated by the El Niño.

Additionally, the dependence of the Philippines on imported energy resources like coal and fuel makes the country vulnerable to the alerts.

Satur also said that the implementation of nuclear energy into the generation mix could support the capacity of the grid to meet the demand as it is seen as a stable and reliable energy source.

Also, the chief advocate officer recommended increasing the annual electricity generation to seven to eight terawatt hours (TWh) until 2026, and then to eight to nine TWh until 2030, a suggestion also made by Oplas. 

Satur said that increasing the electricity generation was to catch up to the surging energy demands.