MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Committee on Energy on Thursday resumes its hearing on the recent spate of rotational blackouts in Luzon.
The committee's chairman, Sen. Win Gatchalian, in a statement Wednesday said it has been reviewing the performance of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and its compliance with its obligations under the Constitution, the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, its franchise, and concession agreement.
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"There are many things they have to comply with and our review will continue. If they will comply then the franchise should not be moved," Gatchalian said in Filipino.
"We are giving them time to make corrections and if they don’t correct or they don’t comply, that’s the time we will do something more drastic, to the point that the franchise might be revoked."
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi previously told senators that legislation must be crafted to amend the NGCP's franchise to address its non-compliance with a DOE circular ordering it to contract 100-percent firm contracts for ancillary services (AS), which Cusi cited as one of the causes of the rotational brownouts in several areas in Luzon from end May to early June.
Watch the Senate inquiry LIVE, which will start at 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 1, 2021.