BACOLOD City –The province of Negros Occidental is relying more of its power supply on conventional sources, this was revealed during a committee hearing on energy in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Dec. 12.
According to Third District Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko, chairman of the committee on energy, 70 percent of the power needs of each of the three power cooperatives in the province, the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), Negros Occidental Electrical (Noceco) and the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco), are sourced from “conventional sources or coal.”
They source their power from power plants in Cebu and Iloilo, he said, adding that the rest are sourced from geothermal and the wholesale electricity spot market (WESM), he said.
The hearing was held in relation to the request of Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Maranon Jr. for the passage of the proposed Provincial ordinance declaring the entire province of Negros as “coal free,” thus disallowing the exploration, establishment and operation of any coal -fired power plant in Negros Occidental.
Ko said that several hearings will be conducted in order to hear the sides of other stakeholders.
He added the committee will invite the resource speakers from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the Department of Energy, environmentalist groups, church representatives, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as other stakeholders.
It learned that three dioceses in Negros have already signified their strong opposition to the entry of a coal-fired power plant in Negros./PN
