THE Philippine Independent Power Producers Association (PIPPA) said it will grow its members’ generating capacity in order to facilitate full electrification.
“The members of PIPPA heed the mandate of the President… to establish additional capacity to address the electrification goals of this administration,” PIPPA President Anne E. Montelibano said in a statement on Tuesday.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address on Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said nearly 200 power plants are set to be completed in the next three years.
“These have the capacity to provide electricity to 4 million households, or to more than 200,000 factories, or to almost 7,000 offices and businesses,” he said.
Mr. Marcos instructed the Department of Energy and National Electrification Administration (NEA) to achieve total electrification by 2028, especially in the provinces of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Palawan, Masbate, Samar, Negros Occidental, and Zamboanga del Sur.
He also promised that by the end of his term, an additional one million homes will be powered by solar power home systems.
He also pushed for the restoration of regular electricity service to Siquijor before the end of the year, after disruptions to the island’s power system.
The NEA said that it will continue to work closely with its partner electric cooperatives to expand and hasten the deployment of solar home systems and other renewable energy solutions in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
“As part of our commitment under the 2023-2028 National Electrification Plan, we are intensifying efforts to bring power to more unserved sitios and barangays across the country,” the NEA said in a statement.
Theresa Cruz-Capellan, who chairs the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance, said that small islands must be included in the government’s green energy auction.
She said emerging technologies like solar and batteries with energy management systems can provide long-term solutions.
Jose M. Layug, Jr., president of the Developers of Renewable Energy for Advancement, Inc., said Mr. Marcos is on the right track in focusing on the sufficiency of the energy supply by building more renewable-energy power plants.
“We also laud the President for ensuring that electrification of the entire country is achieved. His targets are pointed and specific. The renewable energy private sector will fully support the efforts of the government for a more sustainable future,” Mr. Layug said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
