DOE plots roadmap for smart grid

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) is coming up with a roadmap that will support the adoption of smart grid technologies in the power sector.

The agency is currently working on issuing a department circular and a roadmap for smart grid technologies, DOE-Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (EPIMB) director Mario Marasigan said in an interview.

Marasigan said focused group discussions and public consultations are being conducted for the said policy.

Through the focused group discussions, the DOE got a glimpse of the development and adoption of smart grid technologies by industry stakeholders from the generation, transmission and distribution sectors.

“Not all players have the same level of smart grid implementation. Based on our individual one-on-one with stakeholders, some have already taken up smart grid,” Marasigan said.

Under the circular being drafted, the DOE will not make smart grid technologies mandatory to power players but will explore how the technologies can be accessed by stakeholders.

“It will not be mandatory yet since smart grid happens from generation, transmission down to distribution. What we’re going to do is lay down what the available technologies are in terms of smart grid and how can they be accessed,” Marasigan said.

DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi previously underscored the need to introduce smart grid technologies all over the country because of their proven efficiency in significantly reducing systems losses and other operational inefficiencies.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s largest business group, said the country should also focus on smart grid programs, which will help power distributors improve their system reliability and resilience to natural disasters.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency recently partnered with the National Electrification Administration for a two-year piloting of the smart grid technology in Batangas II Electric Cooperative Inc. to start in the fourth quarter of the year.

Japan’s official development assistance arm said the smart grid technology could be adopted by Philippine electric cooperatives to improve their system reliability and resilience to natural disasters.