Celso vows full cooperation to mitigate power crisis
Mayor Celso Lobregat assures his all out support to all measures aimed to help mitigate the effects of power shortage in MIndanao during the DOE-initiated Power Stakeholders' meeting presided by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes at the Gardern Orchid Hotel Wednesday. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday emphasized anew his administration’s full cooperation and support to measures aimed to mitigate the effects of power shortage as he signed the statement of commitment to ensure “adequate and reliable supply of electric power in the Mindanao region.”
“The city government fully supports this initiative for it is our common desire to discuss and address issues and concerns related to the power crisis that is gradually taking its toll on every Filipino and resident not only of Zamboanga City or Mindanao but of other areas in the country as well,” the mayor said in his welcome message during the Mindanao Power Stakeholders’ Meeting presided by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes at a local hotel yesterday morning.
Over the last few years, Lobregat said, his administration has taken steps to help address expected issues on power. With the increasing demand for power, the city initially thought of looking for alternate sources of power to augment the present supply from our electric cooperative, ZAMCELCO and the share from the bunker fuel run-Western Mindanao Power Corporation based in Sangali by asking the DOE to conduct studies on two sources: hydro (water) and wind.
The studies unfortunately showed that the city is not within the wind path and therefore sourcing electric power by wind is not feasible. The same studies showed that there is no great potential in coming up with a hydro power plant as our rivers can only produce a maximum of one megawatt of power, which is way below our demand of 70-80 megawatts during peak hours at present, according to Lobregat.
And as the national government implements the EPIRA Law or the Electric Privatization Act which mandates the entry of the private sector in power generation ventures, the city government, the mayor said, continuously encourages private groups to invest in power projects in Zamboanga on condition that these projects subscribe to environmental policies and offer reasonable power rates.
“Our electric cooperative is currently exploring possibilities for the establishment of a 100 megawatt coal-fired power generating plant in Zamboanga and the realization of this project—subject to all the requirements set under the law— is also our aspiration,” he stressed.
The chief executive acknowledged that electricity, just like water is a basic need and is one essential factor on which economic and social activity is fully dependent on. “Today, we are facing a tough challenge concerning electric power—the increasing demand and the unrestrained effects of climate change bring about power crisis putting unrelenting pressure on our people and on all of us. The electric power crisis is global, its parameters are unclear and we are uncertain as to how long it will last”
Secretary Reyes spearheaded the conduct of the Mindanao Power Stakeholder’s meeting yesterday aimed to “ensure the security, reliability and adequacy of electric power supply in the Mindanao grid” amidst the looming power crisis.
The meeting yielded a statement of commitment where the participants acknowledge the significance of their individual and collective contribution and the importance of cooperation in the field of energy as a major strategy embodied in their respective policies to achieve energy security.
Reyes, in his opening statement said he came to the city upon the invitation of Mayor Lobregat and with the intention of discussing the power situation in Region 9 and other parts of Mindanao and to come up with measures to help cushion the impact of the dwindling power generation in the area.
From Zamboanga, the DOE Secretary will proceed to Davao City for a similar meeting in the wake of the power shortage experienced not only in Mindanao but in the entire country. (Sheila Covarrubias)