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Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Ceneco denies creating 'power shortage crisis'
BACOLOD CITY – The Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) denied causing deliberate power outages to pressure Negresenses in supporting the power purchase contract with Kepco Salcon Power Corporation (KSPC).
The power outages were viewed as a way to create a scenario of power shortage in the Ceneco franchise area.
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Montelibano said the outages were due to shortage of power supply caused by the repairs being undertaken in the Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant Number 3 in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
"It is not just the Ceneco franchise area that is suffering from power shortage but almost all electric cooperatives in the Visayas being supplied by Palinpinon," Montelibano said, adding that, "brownouts are the result of the power shedding measurers (being done) by the electric cooperative to avoid systems failure."
Montelibano also denied rumors that the power supply from Leyte passing through the Visayan Grid is being channeled to Luzon. "The Visayan Grid is supplying electricity solely to the Visayas areas."
He stressed that he has been asking the National Power Corporation (Napocor) to provide Ceneco with any available power barge to make sure that the electric cooperative could get alternative sources of energy once another geothermal power plant in Palinpinon bogs down.
All geothermal wells of Palinpinon are more than 25 years old and had already showed degeneration. "Those geothermal wells were supposed to be rehabilitated two years ago but the repairs were canceled because of the plan to privatize the power plant," Montelibano said.
The Ceneco president said under the present situation, the cooperative does not have any choice but to sign a power supply contract with KSPC because it is the only company, as of the present, that offers to supply the cooperative with power through the proposed coal fired power plant.
He also clarified reports that he favors the entry of PNOC-EDC inside the buffer zone of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park to maximize the energy capabilities of North Negros Geothermal Power Plant and for the cooperative to buy power from them.
The geothermal power plant in Barangay Mailum, Bago City is only producing 4 to 5 megawatts of electricity, which is way below its projected 49-megawatt output.
Montelibano is asking the public to understand the present situation. He also urged them to reduce energy consumption to help address the power supply shortage. (KGO of Sun.Star Bacolod/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (April 22, 2008 issue)
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