Kuryente.Org is demanding answers from NGCP on the tripping of its Nagsaag-Bolo lines 1 and 2 as well as owners of the 1,200 MW Ilijan Power Plant which went on an unscheduled shutdown — two of the main reasons why Luzon went into red and yellow alerts earlier this week.
“We wonder why NGCP is getting off the hook with its repeated failure and violations to directions and rules from government agencies and regulators,” Kuryente.Org national coordinator Nic Satur Jr., said.
The non-compliance of NGCP to the firm’s ancillary services is another reason why the yellow and red alerts keep coming back. While DOE Asec Mario Marasigan said that they have already given guidelines in contracting firm reserves since October 2021. Currently, NGCP has announced schedules for a Competitive Selection Process on ASPA, but PIPPA discussed that power producers are waiting for the validation and confirmation of the Energy Regulatory Commission on this.
Yet again NGCP President Anthony L. Almeda just made another promise to improve their efficiency and collaborate further with our energy stakeholders during the congressional hearing. It is the same script he said during the red alert hearing last June 2021. NGCP was quick to blame the ERC as they await the approval of the interconnection grid project filed last 2019.
Our Energy Players refer to themselves as the energy family, but as recent years have demonstrated, there are conflicts that plagued the energy family. We support the call of Senator Tulfo when he stressed ¨ Ang pakiusap ko lang po sana magusap usap po kau, mag kaisa po kau, magtulungan po kau, sana po wag na tayo magturuan¨.
He even stated ¨Kung kailangan nyo ang tulong ng senado bilang chair ng energy committee I would help¨
Consumers are tired of the blaming game, we appeal to our new DOE Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla, ERC Chair Atty Monalisa Dimalanta, Senate Energy Committee Chair Sen. Raffy Tulfo, and House Energy Committee Chair Lord Allan Velasco to continuously lead a transparent, reliable, and progressive energy industry.
KO and our community of consumers appreciate their efforts to solve the problems in the energy sector and we are hopeful that with their leadership we can have immediate actions to the solutions and recommendations identified since last June 2021.
As Filipinos thrive and survive, still reeling from the impact of COVID 19, we are at a turning point in Philippine history where we are confronted with some of the most trying circumstances, having a shortage in all commodities. In this context, we appeal to our legislators for a more inclusive, transparent, and progressive energy sector where consumers are represented in all levels of decision-making of key government regulatory bodies, such as the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and Department of Energy (DOE).
Electricity issues affect us all, we are all consumers of it. Therefore, it is appropriate to have the voice of consumers during critical policy-making processes that will consequently affect them.
About Kuryente.Org
Kuryente.Org is a consumer welfare organization that aims to pursue transparency and good governance in the energy industry sector with the ultimate objective of ensuring the rights of the people for a progressive energy sector and industry in the Philippines.
To realize consumer choices, Kuryente.Org aims to build and strengthen partnerships to advocate for the robust implementation of existing energy laws and key energy policies to ensure equal and competitive business opportunities in the energy sector and industry and develop needed infrastructures within planetary limits.
