Malacañang Palace on Monday called on the public to help conserve energy in the face of looming power shortage during the summer season.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a statement, reiterated that the public plays a key role in helping conserve energy to minimize the possibility of rotating brownouts in Luzon this summer.
Coloma also noted that the government will continue to support private companies that plan to use their own generators as an alternative power source, under the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Interruptible Load Program (ILP).
“Government calls for the adoption of energy conservation measures and continuing support from the private sector in using their own generators as an alternative power source, under the DOE’s Interruptible Load Program (ILP),” Coloma said.
The Communication secretary also assured the public that the DOE is closely monitoring power supply amid the annual Malampaya power plant maintenance shutdown which started Sunday.
“According to (Energy) Secretary (Carlos Jericho) Petilla, the DOE continues to monitor closely the supply situation, in view of the start of the annual maintenance of the Malampaya power plant,” Coloma told reporters.
“It is hoped that with the adoption of these contingency measures, and with full public support, the possibility of rotating two-hour brown-outs in Luzon, which has been projected as the worst-case scenario, may be minimized,” he added.
Coloma likewise ascertained that the administration is continuously working closely with Congress for the enactment of a Joint Resolution that would address the possible power shortage.
“We continue to work closely with Congress in threshing out issues pertaining to the enactment of a Joint Resolution to address the possible power supply shortage for the duration of the summer season,” he said.
Malacañang has been asking Congress to give the President special authority under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) to carry out measures aimed at averting the looming power outages this summer.
The Joint Resolution will authorize the national government to contract an additional generating capacity to address the projected 300-megawatt deficit, and to have sufficient regulating reserves equivalent to four percent of peak demand, for another 300 megawatts.
