Saturday, February 4, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Columns Crossroads by J.A. Dela Cruz

Stop the blame game

J.A. Dela CruzbyJ.A. Dela Cruz
June 21, 2021, 12:00 am
in Crossroads by J.A. Dela Cruz
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

"The sector’s development framework needs an overhaul."

 

Somebody should tell the government agencies and private companies in the energy sector to stop the blame game and step up to resolve the recurring power shortfalls across the board. 

It has been more than three decades since the government ceded its strategic presence in the sector to private entities on the promise that the country's power needs will be adequately served in as affordable and accessible manner as possible. 

That has not happened at all. 

Instead, we have the most expensive power rate in ASEAN and an essentially problematic sector getting worse by the day. It was not supposed to be the case when the Cory government took over in 1986. Up to now, no cogent reason has been advanced justifying that administration's move to dismantle the development and regulatory framework governing the sector. In one of its first moves after taking over, the Cory government abolished the then Ministry of Energy, set aside the government's power sector development roadmap and signalled that henceforth the private sector dictate the pace and expanse of our power requirements  Not content with that, it mothballed the 660MW Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) which was supposed to be a key baseload facility without even bothering to consider a replacement. To top it all, again for no cogent reason, it put the screws on the existing government run generating and distribution facilities which was the bulk of those in place leading to long hours of brownouts, even blackouts, earning then President Cory Aquino the moniker "Queen of Darkness." 

ADVERTISEMENT

To think that despite allegations of corruption and mismanagement, the government-run NAPOCOR and its subsidiaries were considered by most observers, including the visiting French Energy Minister at that time, as one of the best run operations in the power sector worldwide. 

The best proof that indeed the government-run power sector operations were indeed up to world standards was the fact that most of those who eventually manned the private power companies after the rushed privatization efforts under the Cory and Ramos administrations simply got rehired to run the facilities. That was, of course, no surprise at all since most of the running power plants up to the short lived Estrada administration were government owned which were merely leased or sold at bargain prices to selected private sector players. Whew!!!

That highly problematic situation was further cemented with the passage of the EPIRA Law in 2001. Originally proposed to correct the power sector’s highly problematic development and regulatory framework, the law only served to exacerbate the situation. The ongoing Senate inquiry on the sudden rotating brownouts in Luzon highlighted the reasons for such an dubious and condemnable occurrence. 

Energy Secretary Al Cusi has laid the blame squarely on the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the private sector power transmission and distribution concessionaire which is 40 percent owned by the Grid Corporation of China. Being the gatekeeper for the allocation and dispatch of power by the private sector producers (the last government-run facility remains in limbo unable to produce even one megawatt of power), Cusi emphasized that NGCP had the principal responsibility to ensure adequate power supply and distribution.

It is the duty of NGCP, Cusi said, to provide security and efficient delivery of power supply. He added that it is not true that power supply is inadequate and very thin, noting that the installed power capacity in Luzon is 17000 MW against a peak power demand of only 11000MW.

Said Cusi: "Based on its concession contract, NGCP is supposed to: a) complete construction of transmission lines to allow power plants to connect to the national grid; b) contract generation companies (GenCos) to build power plant; c) sign forward contracting to enable existing plants to connect to the national grid and augment supply and d) schedule preventive maintenance to ensure reliable energy supply specially during the peak summer months of April to June. "

Cusi's pointed advice could have ended the blame game right there and then. The problem was in the same hearing Mario Marasigan, Director of the DoE Electric Power Industry Management Bureau tended to contradict his boss’ assertions. Marasigan confirmed that based on their latest Luzon power outlook study, capacity reserves or available supply would be critically thin in the fourth week of June, third week of July and first week of August thus red alerts for the Luzon grid should be expected within these periods. So, which is which?  

Of course, Marasigan somewhat cushioned the impact of his "study"on his boss' statements by confirming that two of the power plants providing at least 478MW were on forced shutdowns and that part of the Ilijan natural gas complex and the Pagbilao coal fired power plant would be out of service for sometime. Nonetheless, his statements only served to highlight the reality of the precarious situation of the power supply in the Luzon grid. Marasigan's point was reiterated by NGCP itself as the grid operator noted that it cannot simply forward contract power supplies without a rate change which, get this, needed approval by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the power sector's auditing and regulatory body. 

So the question remains: Why indeed don't we have more power plants in place to ensure that all these problems of the existing ones conking out or the unwarranted topsy turvy maintenance schedules do not recur? For that matter, why are we not calling out the NGCP for the continued non-construction of much needed transmission lines and ancillary services, to name just two of the additional "reasons" proferred as problems, taken off the table?   

Whether this aberration is solely NGCP's fault as Secretary Cusi asserts or a combination of a thinning reserve situation, NGCP's negligence and related cases such as the ponderous approval processes of the ERC, has yet to be sorted out. Suffice it to say that the power sector's development regulatory framework needs overhauling starting with the various laws, regulations and orders in place governing the operations of this critical sector. The sooner, the better.

Tags: Bataan Nuclear Power PlantCory AquinoEPIRA LawJ.A. Dela CruzNational Grid Corporation of the PhilippinesNGCPpower rate
ADVERTISEMENT
J.A. Dela Cruz

J.A. Dela Cruz

Related Posts

Of course, it was BBM’s project

byJ.A. Dela Cruz
October 20, 2021, 12:30 am
0
794
Of course, it was BBM’s project

"Rappler did not even bother to check."   I am talking about the now-famous Bangui Windmills in Ilocos Norte which...

Read more

PAREX

byJ.A. Dela Cruz
October 11, 2021, 12:05 am
0
13
PAREX

"This project is the product of countless studies."   It is unfortunate that this early, even before the final design...

Read more

Marching on

byJ.A. Dela Cruz
September 27, 2021, 12:15 am
0
8
Marching on

"These Filipinos make us proud."   No, we are not talking here about the raft of declarations of candidacy of...

Read more

‘No one needs to die from COVID-19’

byJ.A. Dela Cruz
September 24, 2021, 12:10 am
0
26
‘No one needs to die from COVID-19’

"No one needs to die from COVID-19" is the ringing message of Dr. George Fareed, a 76-year-old medical practitioner in...

Read more

Solidarity trials

byJ.A. Dela Cruz
September 17, 2021, 12:20 am
0
8
Solidarity trials

"We have reached the end of lockdowns and quarantines as the primary tools in fighting this invisible enemy."    ...

Read more

Binay Part Two?

byJ.A. Dela Cruz
September 15, 2021, 12:00 am
0
17
Binay Part Two?

"The entire operation smelled like the hatchet job the Binay camp decried it to be."   A number of our...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0
  • PH, US revive joint sea patrols
  • Indonesia tells major powers to keep SEA out of rivalries
  • NEDA approves six big-ticket projects worth over P100b
  • Oil price rollback as much as P2/liter likely next Tuesday to snap 3-wk hike
  • BI relieves warden facility head, staff
  • OFW in Kuwait paralyzed after fall from 3rd floor
  • Farmers hurting over low onion farmgate prices

Advertisement

Latest News

BI relieves warden facility head, staff

byRey E. Requejo
February 4, 2023, 1:10 am
0
8
BI relieves warden facility head, staff

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has relieved the head and other personnel of its warden facility after six mobile phones...

Read more

OFW in Kuwait paralyzed after fall from 3rd floor

byJoyce Pangco Panares
February 4, 2023, 1:00 am
0
8
Vax wastage, infection surge feared in Odette-hit areas

A 34-year-old overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait has become paralyzed from the waist down after escaping her “abusive” employer by...

Read more

Farmers hurting over low onion farmgate prices

byManila Standard
February 4, 2023, 12:20 am
0
8
Can’t afford onions per kilo? DA says buy per piece

Farmgate prices of onions have gone down amid the arrival of imported ones, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said....

Read more

Death or injury

byManila Standard
February 4, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
Death or injury

The heart-warming video of a sister engaging former professional boxer Prichard Colon Melendez, strapped on a special medical bed, in...

Read more

The ICC and Duterte, the next phase

byTony La Viña
February 4, 2023, 12:05 am
0
8
Denying Villafuerte justice

"The International Criminal Court can only intervene where a State is unable or unwilling genuinely to carry out the investigation...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App