Noy urged to use Malampaya fund for new power plants

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino is being urged to use the P137-billion Malampaya fund to build new power plants to avert a power shortage.

But first, Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna said Congress should amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA), which prohibits the government from building new power plants.

They said the construction of new facilities was one of the recommendations in the April 2012 Energy Summit in Davao City, which Aquino attended.

Up to now, however, the recommendations have not been acted upon, they said.

Proof of this is the fact that Mindanao continues to experience rotating blackouts, a situation brought to the President’s attention during the Davao City summit, they added.

Aside from building new power plants, Colmenares and Zarate suggested yesterday that the government accelerate the rehabilitation of the  Agus hydroelectric power complex in Mindanao.

They said the administration should also speed up the construction of renewable energy plants and to dissuade investors from putting up coal-powered plants.       

They supported proposals from Mindanao congressmen for the creation of a Mindanao Power Corp. to manage and upgrade state-owned power facilities in the island.

They said the envisioned power company should rely more on indigenous energy sources such as water than on environmentally hazardous fuel and coal.             – With Marvin Sy