BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas is convening today various officials from the energy sector, local government units, and the business community following the three-hour blackout that hit Panay Island on March 1.
Key officials from the energy sector confirmed their attendance, including the power transmission operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the Department of Energy (DOE), MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC), Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC), and Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines Inc. (IEMOP).
Will Treñas confront NGCP officials for the delayed completion of the 230 kV Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) backbone project stage 3?
In an interview, Treñas promised to keep his composure during the meeting and would not point fingers at who should be blamed for the blackout.
“The power situation should be addressed. Energy stakeholders are invited to the meeting so we can discuss what can be done, and done fast. This situation should not be allowed to go on. Our people are all affected,” Treñas said.
The city mayor stressed the need to look for solutions. He recommended an “in-island power capacity as an additional source of power – be it solar, liquefied natural gas or wind.”
“Iloilo is one of the fastest moving economies in the country. The power situation is going to affect our developments and will dampen investors’ interest in the region,” Treñas said.
Governors Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo and JC Rahman Nava of Guimaras; municipal mayors of Cabatuan, Oton, Leganes, Pavia, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara; and the business community represented by different business groups in Iloilo, will also join the meeting at the city hall.
The Iloilo City Government earlier asked the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to allow them to participate in the case relative to the delayed implementation of the 230 kV CNP backbone project stage 3.
Mayor Treñas signed the petition to intervene in the case against NGCP before the ERC.
Such came after the Iloilo City Council approved on Feb. 21 the motion of city hall lawyers to represent the city government to file any action before proper courts or quasi-judicial agencies relative to the massive power outage last Jan. 2 to 5, 2024.
The city council also approved giving the city lawyers the authority to intervene and participate in the hearing of the case by the ERC regarding the delayed implementation of NGCP’s approved capital expenditure (capex) projects.
City lawyers Edgardo Gil, GV Eutiquio Cunada, Llonil Virtebo, and Joseph Edward Areño will also represent the city government in the proceedings on the hearing of the case relative to the show-cause order issued against NGCP over the delayed implementation of power transmission projects.
These projects include 230 kV CNP backbone, Iloilo Substation 3×100 MVA 138/69-13.8 KV power transformers, and the Panay-Guimaras 138 KV Interconnection project.
The other long-delayed transmission projects in the Visayas region include Stages 2 and 3 of the CNP 230 kV Backbone Project, Cebu-Lapu-Lapu Transmission Project, Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project, Naga (Cebu) Sub-station Upgrading Project, Tagbilaran 69 kV Substation Project, Visayas Voltage Improvement Project.
The DOE has asked NGCP to implement its development plan, saying the four-day blackout on Panay Island in January could have been prevented had the NGCP completed on time the 230 kV CNP backbone project.
NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza was quoted as attributing the delays to several factors such as procurement of rights of way and protracted permitting procedures, among others./PN
