PASAY CITY, Philippines – Senator Risa Hontiveros is calling on the Department of Energy (DOE) to deliver a lasting solution to the recurring alert levels in the Luzon grid.
The statement comes as the electricity demand heightened this summer season, forcing the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to issue red and yellow alerts status when demand exceeded available supply.
“We’ve had enough. Paulit-ulit ang pagkukulang ng NGCP. Ang kuryente, pampagaan yan ng buhay, hindi pampabigat. Kailangan na natin ng isang totoo at sustainable na solusyon sa harap ng sabay-sabay na outages ng mahigit 20 planta,” the senator said.
(The deficiencies of NGCP are recurring. Electricity is supposed to lighten life’s burdens, not add to them. We need a genuine and sustainable solution in the face of simultaneous outages from more than 20 plants.)
The NGCP said a total of 2,325.8 megawatts (MW) of electricity is unavailable to the grid as of Saturday as 22 power plants are on forced outage while another is operating on derated capacity.
The alerts are often attributed to malfunctioning power plants and dwindling reserves.
However, the senator demanded a better explanation from DOE as consumers continue to endure rotational brownouts and higher power bills, the same as the summers before.
“Paanong naging sabay-sabay yung mga outages ng mahigit 20 planta? At sasabihin lahat ng yun ay unplanned outages? Kung hindi nila yan maipaliwanag, hindi na rin nakakapagtaka na paikot-ikot at paulit-ulit ang problemang ito,” Hontiveros said.
(How did more than 20 power plants experience outages all at the same time? And they’re going to claim that all of those were unplanned outages? If they can’t explain that, it’s no wonder this problem keeps going around and around, repeating itself.)
The senator also urged the DOE to refrain from continuously shifting the burden of adjustment onto the public’s shoulders.
“Nakakainit ng ulo. Sa halip na konsyumer ang sabihan ni Sec. Lotilla na magbawas ng konsumo kung kailan natin mas kailangan ng kuryente, mga energy officials muna ang maglabas ng matalinong plano. It’s time for action, not just empty promises,” Hontiveros said.
(It’s infuriating. Instead of advising consumers to reduce consumption when we need electricity the most, Secretary Lotilla should have energy officials come up with intelligent plans first.)
Hontiveros then reiterated the urgent need for proactive measures and intelligent planning from the DOE to address the persistent electricity challenges faced by the public.
“Tama na. It’s about time energy officials stopped dragging their feet. We deserve better than their endless excuses and half-baked explanations, and it’s time to hear innovative solutions to tackle these relentless power outages,” Hontiveros concluded.
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