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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017
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MANILA – Militant partylist group Bayan Muna on Monday called the planned maintenance shutdown of at least 20 power generating plants in the summer months “legalized extortion.”
Allowing many power plants to shutdown would lead to “very precarious” power supply situation and increase in power rates, said Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate.
“Hindi na ba natuto ang Department of Energy (DOE) sa nangyari noong 2013, na sangkatutak na power plants ang nagsara dahil sa Malampaya shutdown kung kaya pumalo ng napakataas na singil ng kuryente?” Zarate said.
“Noong imbestigasyon ng Kongreso ito, isa sa mga rekomendasyon ng Bayan Muna ay hindi dapat nagsasabay-sabay ang mga plant shutdowns, pero mukhang ‘di ito sinunod at ngayon ganito na naman. Parang nananadya tuloy ang DOE para tumaas ang singil sa kuryente, at, kpag tututol naman tayo ay tatakutin tayo na magbobrownout habang napaka-init ng panahon.”
In the presentation made by National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to the DOE and other relevant stakeholders last March 22, the power facilities on outage will include Calaca Unit 1 with 210-megawatt capacity; Pagbilao Unit 1 at 382 MW and Pagbilao Unit 2 at 382 MW; Masinloc Unit 2 at 315 MW; Quezon Power at 456 MW; GNPower Unit 1 at 302 MW; and GNPower Unit 2 at 302 MW.
Other plants scheduling shutdowns are Sta. Rita Module 10 at 250 MW; Sta Rita Module 40 at 250 MW; Kalayaaan Unit 1 at 180 MW; Kalayaan Unit 2 at 180 MW; Ambuklao Unit 3 at 35 MW; Bacon-Manito Unit 1 at 55 MW; Bakun Unit 1 at 35 MW; Limay 6 at 60 MW; Limay 7 at 60 MW; Magat Units 1 and 2 at 90 MW; Magat Units 3 and 4 at 90 MW; and San Roque Units 1, 2 and 3 at 145 MW.
Bayan Muna said the nationwide “downtown” and “unplanned” power outages will last until June this year according to the energy sector.
“These shutdowns are too numerous and too long and they will definitely cause a spike in power rates if we do nothing about it,” they stressed.
The group, citing “industry sources,” said the energy department had claimed that it is only Pagbilao power plant that is scheduled to shut down.
“They have also not reported the details on the de-rating of hydro-electric power plants and this would add to the pressure on the power supply. As of now the DOE is saying that their policy now to have staggered pass-on rates to consumers, but this still means higher power rate hikes for consumers and that should be happening in the first place if there is a well thought of energy supply plan,” Zarate said./PN
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