MAP outlines 5-point proposal to avert brownouts during polls

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Thursday gave five recommendations to avoid possible power outages as the May 9 elections draw near.

In early April, the Department of Energy (DOE) said the Luzon grid might experience problems during the election period due to the unpredictability of power plant outages.

It said that while there are no foreseen yellow or red alerts in the grid during the dry season, especially during the May 9 polls, its simulations showed otherwise as yellow alerts might happen one week before and one week after the election day.

To alleviate any power situation problems that may arise as the election nears, MAP made the following recommendations:

• Electricity users should adopt Energy Efficiency measures to save energy in their respective households, offices, and businesses. This practice can be done by everybody and reduce the power demand immediately;
• The distribution utilities and electric cooperatives in major demand areas (greater Metro Manila) should prepare for or initiate their respective Interruptible Load Program (ILP) throughout their franchise areas;
• The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) should urgently contract additional reserve power and link with power plants that are not yet connected;
• The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) should temporarily suspend the Secondary Price Cap (SPC) at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). The ERC should review the status after two months; and
• The government should treat the protection and sustainability of the country's energy infrastructure as a national security concern and thus increase the priority on longer-term development.

“It is imperative to develop an energy transition plan that places the Filipino and the Philippine context at its center, adheres to the key principles of climate equity and energy security, and supports the fulfilment of the country's development goals,” MAP said.

“The government and the private sector must craft power generation-specific plans to stimulate the building of new generation capacity and avert possible supply gaps in the next 10 years,” it added.

MAP is an organization which counts as members chief executive officers, chief operating officers, and the other top management practitioners from the largest local and multinational companies operating in the Philippines.

MAP also counts some top management educators and government officials as its members. —LBG, GMA news