Senate to summon past energy officials in probe on power interruptions

power-lines-823622_1920

With the Senate Committee on Energy looking to investigate the power interruptions in the provinces, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that previous officials of the Department of Energy (DOE), local government units, and electric cooperatives will be summoned in the hearings. 

Tulfo, chair of the Senate Energy Committee, said that former Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi, local officials from governor to mayor, and officials of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) have been invited.  

“That is really going to happen. Lahat ng may kinalaman, ipapatawag natin so they can shed light kung bakit di nabigyan ng solusyon ang problema. Maybe makakatulong sa kasalukuyang problema,” Tulfo said. 

The senator added that he has required ERC to submit a performance evaluation of all electric cooperatives in the country and to come up with corresponding penalties.

Tulfo added that he will recommend to the National Electrification Administration that electric cooperatives must pass technical concerns, apart from financial and legal requirements. 

The neophyte senator said that he will not hesitate to recommend the cancellation of the franchise of erring electric cooperatives. 

The Senate is slated to investigate the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the country’s energy security and affordability, as filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.