THE Department of Energy (DOE) in the Visayas is working on energizing more far-flung areas in Negros Occidental through its Household Electrification Program (HEP), its top official.
DOE Visayas Field Office Director Russ Mark Gamallo, on the sidelines of the turnover of Productive Use of Renewable Energy (Pure) Project in Don Salvador Benedicto on Friday, August 7, 2021, said the DOE is closely coordinating with the electric cooperatives in the province to energize these areas especially the sitios using solar power systems.
Gamallo said there are still areas in Negros Occidental and other parts of the Visayas that are yet to be energized.
"Considering that we have limited funds, we will prioritize the energization of the depressed areas and those that have the potential for income generation," he added.
The DOE official said the agency actually has a time frame in energizing far-flung areas, which is difficult to attain because of the increasing population and the continuous sprout of hard-to-reach communities.
"Rest assured that the government is aiming for a hundred percent electrification at the barangay level but as to the sitios it's very challenging," Gamallo also said.
For areas covered by Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco), its general manager lawyer Danny Pondevilla said at least 500 "extension sitios" are still not energized.
Ceneco caters to the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay and Silay, and towns of Murcia and Salvador Benedicto.
Noneco, on the other hand, caters to localities in the north, from E.B. Magalona to San Carlos City.
In Don Salvador Benedicto alone, the utility's electrification is at about 90 percent given the number of extension sitios in the locality.
Pondevilla said the solar home system provided by the DOE would help a lot especially in the areas that could not be reached by the grid.
"Energizing far-flung sitios will also entail additional expenses for the electric cooperatives," he said, adding that the problem is more on the maintenance.
Meanwhile, Gamallo said there is no energy crisis in Negros Occidental because the electricity supply here is abundant with the presence of geothermal and solar plants.
In fact, he said, the province's excess energy can be exported to other areas. However, there are limitations in the "highway" from Negros Island to other areas resulting in congestions.
Gamallo said the rest of the Visayas also has enough power supply, adding that, the DOE is pushing for the utilization of renewable energy aside from fossil fuel as power source.