Saturday, October 11, 2008 Power situation not that bad: energy department By Carlo P. Mallo
THERE'S a growing demand for power, but no looming power crisis in Mindanao, at least that's what officials of the Department of Energy (DOE) are saying.
Their statement is contrary to a report by the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) in their conference with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte last Tuesday.
DOE undersecretaries headed by Zamzamin Ampatuan were in Davao City Friday for the Philippine Energy Plan Mindanao Public Consultation Series.
Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes was a "no show" at the public consultation as sources said he was in General Santos City for an important matter.
Irma Exconde of the DOE said there is no actual energy crisis looming in the horizon, at least based on the figures that they have.
"The present demand is at 900 to 1,100 megawatts while the actual capacity for Mindanao is at 1,500 Megawatts," Exconde said in a press conference.
The present growth rate of the energy demand in Mindanao, based on the figures of the DOE, is pegged at 4.3 percent annually.
"By 2009 we are expecting an additional 100 megawatts in our supply with the investments of the private sector," Exconde said.
Three private sector-led projects expected by the energy department to stabilize the power supply in Mindanao are the Cabulig Hydro, Sibulan Hydropower plant of Hedcor, and Mt. Apo geothermal plant expansion.
Various stakeholders attended the public consultation in order to hear the side of the energy department amid reports that Mindanao will be facing an energy crisis in the next couple of years.
In the Davao Light presentation last Tuesday, it was revealed that the power company sealed a contract with the National Power Corporation (Napocor) assuring 1.362 billion kilowatt hours a year from 2009 to 2015.
"This is short of DLPC's 2009 projected energy requirement of 1.481 billion kWh," the presentation said. "This is also short of DLPC's 2010 projected energy requirement of 1.515 kWh."
This is why Davao Light has contracted Hedcor to "supply part of the shortfall," avao Light officials explained.
The problem, however, is that Hedcor has identified the Tamugan River as its ower source, the same body of water the Davao City Water District has long identified as a potable water source.
