Congressman backs state of emergency in power sector

MANILA, Philippines - The chairman of the House Committee on Energy is in favor of declaring a state of emergency in the power sector to avert the looming power shortage in the summer of 2015.

In an interview with The STAR yesterday, Rep. Rey Umali (2nd District, Oriental Mindoro), said the emergency powers can be used to mandate big power users to participate in the Interruptible Load Program (ILP).

Under the program, large electricity users would sell their excess generating capacity to the grid and provide the much needed additional power.

“I am in favor of emergency powers to mandate self-generating power facilities to sell their excess generating capacity under ILP,” he said.

He said based on the report submitted to the committee by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), there are 2,975 self-generating power facilities in Luzon that could generate at least 3,600 megawatts.

 “The emergency powers can mandate these self-generating capacities to free up the 3,600 MW,” he noted.

Without emergency powers, the ILP is only on a voluntary basis and cannot be mandated.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla had proposed the declaration of a state of emergency in the power sector to allow the government to tap additional capacity.

He has said the Philippines will need 9,011 MW of power next year, higher than this year’s demand of 8,717 MW on the back of the projected growth in the economy.