DESPITE a higher overhead cost brought about by the utilization of the Bajada Power Plant, which runs on diesel, local power distributor Davao Light and Power Company will not increase its rates.
DLPC chief operating officer Art Milan told reporters that since the Bajada Power Plant was a standby plant of the company, there will be no rate increases.
"The company will be subsidizing the rates," Milan said.
Once the company will be sourcing power from other sources outside its current partners, increases can be expected to occur.
At present, the power supply of DLPC is sourced from the following: 100 megawatts from National Power Corporation, 32 megawatts from the Bajada Power Plant, 13 megawatts from the Hedcor Sibulan Hydro Power Plant, and 4 megawatts from the Hedcor Talomo Hydro Power Plant.
Brownouts continue to occur in Davao City as hydro power plants of Napocor continue to experience low water levels in its reservoirs.
With the power supply in such volatile situation, Roger Velasco, DLPC vice president for engineering, said that the conking out of any one of the existing and working power plants in Mindanao will cause massive blackouts throughout the island.
Despite the multiple sources of power, DLPC does not see a bright future in the next couple of months should prevailing weather conditions continue.
The Department of Energy is now pushing for the declaration of an energy crisis in Mindanao and the tapping of power barges to provide a stable supply of power in the island while waiting for rains to come.