Board Member Ryan Maminta has urged relevant government agencies to expedite the bidding process for a new power supply agreement or Transition Power Supply Agreement (TPSA) that will not only ensure adequate power supply for Palawan but will also reduce electricity rates.
During this week’s session, Maminta urged the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) to take advantage of the new advisory issued by the Department of Energy (DOE).
The advisory, addressed to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and National Electrification Administration (NEA), allows distribution utilities to enter into a TPSA by filing a petition with the ERC to revive the subsidy that was voided from the 26.5 MW PSA.
“PALECO is qualified and dapat ito’y dalian nilang maisulong at maihain sa ERC,” Maminta said in his privilege speech.
“Ang TPSA, if ever, will be effective for another year kung hindi pa magkaroon muli ng award sa CSP. Pinakiusap din sa Kongreso na gawin na ng NEA yung 55 MW CSP in behalf of PALECO para sa tinatawag na expeditious process,” he added.
The subsidy that PALECO was receiving was removed after it entered into an emergency PSA with Delta P. Inc., which pushed electricity rates to as high as ₱15-₱17 per kilowatt-hour.
Maminta said he hopes that with the new DOE advisory and with the help of the leaders in the House of Representatives, the issue will be settled.
After the DOE released its advisory, PALECO also came out with a statement that they are already coordinating with ERC and NEA to expedite their application for a TPSA and for the CSP that is being spearheaded by NEA for a 55-MW electricity supply for Puerto Princesa City and the towns of Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Brooke’s Point, Sofronio Española, Bataraza, Roxas, Taytay, and Dumaran.
Meanwhile, Maminta also stated that during the Energy Round Table Discussion last week, he received information that the bidding documents for the 55-MW CSP were already opened and that the applicants for the new PSA are also Delta P Inc. and DMCI Power.
He said that with the bidders already having established power plants in the province, he is once again calling on PALECO and NEA to immediately proceed with the CSP so that a new PSA will be awarded as soon as possible.
“Sa pamamagitan ng mga plantang ito, maari nang maibalik yung 55 MW at hindi na kakailanganin ng TPSA, at magkakaroon na ng subsidiya,” he stated.
“Kaya wala nang dahilan para maibaba sa ₱11-₱12 ang power rates. Matagal na itong inaasam, isang taon na tayong naghihirap,” he added, noting that he hopes the new PSA will be entered into before the year ends.
