BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is expediting the issuance of certificates of compliance and provisional authorities to operate (CCPAO) to biomass power plants in Negros Occidental so they can start supplying additional power to the islands of Negros and Panay.
ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera revealed this during Tuesday’s virtual hearing with the House Committee on Energy.
The biomass plants could be one of the solutions to the damaged high voltage submarine cable of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), according to Devanadera.
NGCP said repairs on the submarine cable may be completed by February next year.
Meanwhile, Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) general manager and project supervisor, Atty. Dan Pondevilla said several biomass plants in Negros Occidental cannot operate due to congestion in the transmission lines of NGCP.
Pondevilla said if the power generated by the biomass plants cannot pass through NGCP’s transmission lines, it also cannot go directly to power distributors such as Ceneco./PN
