BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The three-hour blackout that hit Panay Island on March 1 indicates a serious power supply deficit besetting Western Visayas, signaling an urgent need for action to address underlying issues in the power supply system.
Friday last week, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported the unplanned shutdown of units 1, 2 and 3 of Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC), totaling 316 megawatts of power.
NGCP attributed the blackout, which lasted approximately three hours, to these unplanned shutdowns and the maintenance shutdown of Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC).
Today, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas is convening officials from the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), MORE Electric and Power Corp., PEDC, PCPC, several local government units, and the business community to discuss immediate actions.
“The power situation must be addressed. We cannot allow this situation to continue. Our people are all affected,” said Treñas.
With the rapid growth of metropolises like the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod, and Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan, government policymakers forecast Western Visayas’ peak power demand to rise to 953 megawatts by 2029.
Panay Island currently has a power supply of more than 400 megawatts, while demand is around 420 megawatts, according to the energy department.
Renewable energy contributes 20 megawatts from wind energy, in addition to about 50 megawatts from Guimaras wind power, and approximately 8 megawatts from hydropower generating facilities.
So how can we achieve affordable, accessible, reliable and clean energy for Region 6?
To achieve energy security, the Regional Development Council (RDC) said Western Visayas will continue to usher development in projects that would accelerate reliable renewable energy projects.
“This would mean exploring and developing indigenous resources in the region and promoting policies that would develop consumers such as Green Energy Option Program (GEOP) and rooftop solar photovoltaics under net metering.
Such a mechanism will also reduce energy consumption and cost to households, hence, optimizing fuel mix and increasing generation capacity, improving energy supply and energy resiliency.
In its Regional Development Plan for 2023–2028, the council outlined at least five framework strategies to achieve sustainable, resilient, integrated, and modernized infrastructure facilities and services to ensure energy security.
First, the council pushes for investments in energy innovation for clean technology goods and services to allow market-driven solutions rather than merely dictating a specific type of technology.
“Private sectors are usually at the forefront of innovation and green investments. Government or private financial institutions can leverage investment communities to attract them,” the council said.
Second, the council wants local renewable energy researchers to develop local capabilities in the use of renewable energy systems and low carbon emission technologies.
It said government financial institutions such as the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) have windows on renewable energy and climate change projects that can be tapped by local practitioners.
“Donor agencies, generating companies, and the academe, especially state universities and colleges will be on-hand in developing local capabilities and technical expertise to have a pool of manpower, local experts, and talents. This will be done through internships and training in generating companies, especially hydropower plants,” the council said.
It stressed that advocacies at the regional, provincial and municipal levels will be intensified to harness the indigenous resources of the local government units.
“These include a study on harnessing wave or tidal energy or sea current on channels, especially between the Guimaras Strait and Iloilo. Corresponding funds from the local government units’ national tax allotment will be set aside for the activities,” the council said.
Third, the council pushes for a transition to an optimal energy mix by encouraging the direct conduct of a competitive selection process (CSP) and power supply agreement (PSA) with the suppliers of renewable energy.
The council urged distribution utilities and electric cooperatives, as well as, commercial or industrial establishments with an average monthly peak demand of 100 kilowatts to conduct a competitive selection process and power supply agreement directly with suppliers of renewable energy.
The council also urged cities and municipalities to facilitate the regulation of electric vehicles, including buses and cars, and establish charging stations according to the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (Evida Law).
“The highly urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod will be encouraged to set up charging stations for electric vehicles to complement their low carbon urban transport system and in Boracay Island as they shift to electric tricycles for their public transport and sustainable tourism initiative,” the council said.
Fourth, the council stressed the need for the region to increase power generation capacity by exploring potential sites for additional power generation capacity for renewable energy projects.
“A thorough assessment of micro hydro facilities especially in communities or areas that are geographically inaccessible to the main grid will be conducted,” the council said.
It added there are about 30 micro hydropower plants installed on Panay Island which can generate an estimated 2, 723 kilowatts.
Lastly, the council highlighted the need to intensify the implementation of energy efficiency and conservation among private and government instrumentalities.
The region will explore ways to encourage government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units, and non-governmental agencies to invest in renewable energy systems to cater to their power demand.
“Instrumentalities providing vital services such as hospital laboratories operating 24/7, cold storage facilities for food items, and offices with frontline services, among others, will be given priority in accessing funds and technical support in energy transition and conservation programs,” the council noted./PN
