Short-term and long-term steps are underway to secure a stable power supply, especially during this year’s midterm elections set for May, the Department of Energy (DOE) said.
The DOE said in a statement on Thursday it has activated the Energy Task Force Election to ensure supply resiliency during the elections, with the campaign period due to begin next week.
The task force will closely coordinate with the Commission on Elections and the Department of National Defense to safeguard the integrity and conduct of the elections through strategic energy sector preparedness before, during and after the electoral process.
Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said in the statement that the task force was directed to ensure a stable and reliable power supply and sufficient fuel throughout the electoral period.
Fuentebella added that contingency measures for any given scenario are also under way, including disruptions from natural disasters.
“Ensuring uninterrupted power during elections is crucial to upholding the integrity of the electoral process and maintaining public confidence,” Fuentebella said.
“By prioritizing energy resiliency, the Energy Task Force Election plays a vital role in guaranteeing smooth and credible elections, free from power-related disruptions,” he added.
The department also said the task force will use a centralized energy command hub to monitor and address potential power issues in real-time, apart from conducting comprehensive inspections of key facilities and canvassing centers to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
The DOE is also coordinating closely with distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to make sure the efforts in securing reliable backup power sources, and the replacement of outdated electrical components are in place.
The coordination efforts will also address transformer loads to prevent disruptions, while reinforcing uninterruptible power supply systems for servers to ensure seamless operations whenever a power fluctuation occurs.
The Energy department is also working with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to ensure critical backup resources are available, including generator sets and emergency lamps at key locations nationwide.
RE supply
In a separate statement on Thursday, the DOE said it will release this month the terms of reference for the fourth round of auction under the Green Energy Auction (GEA-4) program.
This round will involve an integrated renewable energy and energy storage system.
However, the system will cover only solar power plants with an integrated battery energy storage system.
The terms to be released by the DOE will outline specific provisions and procedures for the auction process that covers technical, financial and commercial aspects as well as the auction design and the bonds requirements.
Prior to this announcement, the department considered liquefied natural gas power plants to be included in the GEA-4.
Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara said the decision to exclude natural gas-powered facilities was due to the department’s findings that “there are enough LNG power plants in the system for the time horizon of the GEA-4. So there is no need for them to be included in the auction.”
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) also conducted its own focus group discussion with stakeholders in formulating the green energy auction reserve prices under the GEA-4.
The commission said the participants included representatives from the Developers of Renewable Energy for Advancement Inc., Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance, Confederation of Solar Developers of the Philippines Inc., Philhydro Association Inc., Wind Energy Developers Association of the Philippines, Biomass Renewable Energy Association and Huawei Digital Power Philippines.
The regulatory agency said the focus group validated, refined and enhanced data accuracy in setting green energy reserve prices for various technologies.
Under the current setup of GEA-4, interested RE producers will compete for incentivized fixed power rates by offering prices that are lower than or equal to the green energy auction set by the regulatory commission.
Reviewing strategies
On Wednesday, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said a sectoral meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is scheduled to discuss the challenges facing the country’s total electrification program.
“And since the President is approaching the midterm, it is a good time to review how realistic are both our targets and the available funding and what ways we can think of to hasten or to make them more realistic,” Lotilla told reporters at the sidelines of an event hosted by the National Electrification Administration in Quezon City.
The 100 percent electrification program requires around P25 billion a year if the goal is to be achieved by 2028, the Energy secretary said.
The Energy department said the funding allotted to the project is currently around P2 to P3 billion a year.
