Pres. Aquino hopes emergency powers would be granted soon

President Benigno S. Aquino III has reiterated his appeal to Congress for the approval of a joint resolution granting the government additional powers to address the looming energy crisis next year.

“We are hopeful that both the House (of Representatives) and the Senate will approve the joint resolution we requested sooner rather than later, in order to give the national government enough time to contract the necessary reserves,” the President said during the launch of the SM Solar Project in Quezon City on Monday (Nov. 24).

The House energy committee last week approved Joint Resolution 21, which grants the President emergency powers to contract additional generating capacity to deal with a projected power shortage in Luzon next summer.

President Aquino said he expects the Senate to pass its version as well and come up with a joint resolution with Congress.

He emphasized the resolution’s importance in ensuring that there would be no energy shortage next year.

The President acknowledged the initiatives of private companies, such as the SM Group, in helping the government address energy problems.

“If we do not adjust accordingly, Luzon might experience a shortage of a minimum of around 300 megawatts, to a maximum of 1,000 megawatts next summer,” he said.

“This is not a challenge the national government can overcome alone, which is why we are all working with all sectors to address this issue,” he added.

He cited in particular the SM Group’s support for the Department of Energy’s Interruptible Load Program, wherein the group’s retail stores are expected to deload 57.9 megawatts of power during critical times when supply falls short of demand in summer.

“This might not be enough to address that shortage, but it is indeed a very significant step forward, and will hopefully spur other businesses to follow suit,” he said.

In the long term, President Aquino said the government’s goal is to “ensure a reliable, preferably clean and reasonably priced, power supply.”

The Energy Department is on its way towards achieving this goal, he said, citing an additional 5,098 megawatts of power expected to come online nationwide from 2014 to 2018, and the continuous efforts of government to encourage investment in power.

He also encouraged the private sector to invest in renewable energy, which he said the government is ready to incentivize.

“The use of renewable energy sources represents a long-term investment,” he said.

“It plays to our country’s strengths, provides insulation from fluctuations in the international oil market and thus allows us to be more self-sufficient, generates savings in terms of electricity costs, and also contributes to the preservation of the environment and mitigates the effects of climate change,” he added. (PCOO News Release)