DOE 7: No Power Shortage in CenVis

An energy regional officer in Central Visayas on Thursday assured that the anticipated power shortage that would hit Metro Manila would not happen in region 7 next year.

Department of Energy (DOE)7 Regional Director Antonio Labios, however, said the power situation in the region for 2015 is considered as critical.

The same power situation is also anticipated in Metro Manila and Luzon areas which prompted President Benigno Aquino to ask congress to grant him a power to solve this crisis.

But because of the anticipated 588 megawatts additional power from the various power plants who will cope the demand power requirements in region 7 next year, “it undoubtedly not boost my trust and confidence, but of course i could guarantee to the public and the whole region 7 residents that so far we don’t have problems as far as power supply is concerned,” Labios said.

Although Labios failed to identity these power generators or suppliers, he obviously attributed this to the renewable energy plants in Guimaras and Aklan and other parts of Central Visayas.

According to Labios, the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) can even ask a share from this standby power supplies, if it wants.

Earlier, Engr. Lyndon Jayme, VECO Assistant Vice President for Utilities and Economics, said he was worried about the anticipated power shortage to hit VECO when the National Power Corporation (NPC) will stop supplying them power effective December 25, 2014.

Jayme said NPC is one of their power suppliers, but their contract with NPC is only up to this coming December 25 which means they will have to look for another power supplier to cope their customers’ power demands.

Jayme explained that NPC supplied VECO with 150 megawatts of power and this is the power load which needs to be replaced by another power supplier.

He said, however, they already have found another power supplier with a little bit expensive power rate than that of NPC.

This is the reason that VECO could not avoid but to increase P.10 per kilowatt hour on its power rate for its 370,000 customers within its franchise areas in Metro Cebu effective April next year, he said.

Asked if they are amenable to get a share from the 588 megawatts standby power source of DOE, Jayme said they have to study first this offer.