A separate agency that will handle the development of nuclear energy for power generation as well as the implementation of a definitive energy mix will improve the country’s power supply scenario, Agnes Devanadera, chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Devanadera in an online briefing last week said a separate nuclear agency manned by specialists will lead to the “incubation” of ideas to properly utilize the energy source.
“It is important to have such an agency for us to catch up since if such role is only adjunct with the job of existing personnel, we cannot properly catch up,” she said.
Devanadera said the President can issue an executive order for the creation of such agency.
Devanadera said implementing a definitive energy mix that will be strictly followed for a fixed set of time will help guide investors and overall decisions in the sector including policies, zoning and mapping of projects.
“We must have an energy mix, a defined energy mix which should (tell) how much should be in the RE, how much should be for solar, wind or for other technologies… It shouldn’t be something that will be changed again in the next six months. …Other countries…have their energy mix set for the next 40 years and there are targets per year, per technology,” Devanadera said.
The idea of a definitive power mix was pushed by the Department of Energy (DOE) during the Aquino administration but this was not pursued by the current administration which instead followed a “technology-neutral” approach.
“It is important that we define the energy mix so that we would be able to come out with policies, that (are) supportive of that. Another thing is its breakdown, we enacted a RE Law but we are already lagging behind when it comes to the development of RE plants,” Devanadera said.
She added it would also be a big help if the definitive energy mix of the country would be legislated and created in consultation with other agencies like the National Economic and Development Authority to go side by side with the development plans for the Philippines.
Data from the DOE showed the total installed on-grid capacity in the country as of end-2021 stood at 26,882 megawatts (MW) with coal fired-power plants accounting for 43.4 percent; RE, 29.5 percent; oil-based, 14.3 percent and; natural gas-fired,12.8 percent.
For the similar period, the total installed off-grid capacity in the Philippines was at 636.24 MW of which 89.5 percent are from oil-based power plants, 8.2 percent, RE and 2.4 percent, coal.
