DOE creates power poll task force

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has created a Power Task Force Election reportedly to ensure stable and continuous supply of power for the duration of the May 2013 local and national elections.

In a statement issued Thursday, Energy Sec. Carlos Jericho Petilla said, as stated in the Department Circular No. DC 2012-12-0011, the Task Force’s Core Group will be headed by the DOE and will be composed of the members of the National Power Corporation (NPC), National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), National Electrification Administration (NEA), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (Psalm), Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

Petilla added the supporting members will come from the Independent Power Producers Association (Pippa), Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (Philreca), Private Electric Power Operators Association Inc. (Pepoa) and other associations of distribution.

Petilla said this is in support to the government’s aim of holding a successful election and that the DOE will coordinate with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Our task now is to identify the areas that will need extra effort from the Task Force in terms of power supply and these are the isolated areas, or areas not connected to the grid and some areas in Mindanao,” Petilla said. “I ask stakeholders that outages and maintenance should not be scheduled during the election period, among others,” he added.

The same circular was also issued during the 2010 presidential election.