By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
THE city council’s energy committee chairman over the weekend lashed out at the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management-National Power Corp. (Psalm-Napocor) for keeping the public in the dark about Mindanao’s power situation.
Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr., the committee chairman, said this after executives of Psalm-Napocor snubbed an official inquiry into the daily rotating four-hour blackouts that inconvenienced the city again starting last week.
During the committee meeting on Thursday, Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. (Cepalco) executives said they were virtually helpless because much of the electricity they distribute is allocated by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) which is dependent on Psalm-Napocor.
Lao said Psalm-Napocor executives were asked by his committee to attend the meeting but they were a no-show. He said there was not even a response.
“Cepalco representatives simply said the situation would worsen in the coming weeks unless the power shortage in Mindanao is given top priority,” Lao said.
He said the committee was also informed by Cepalco that that worsening power situation is an effect of the El Niño phenomenon, and that the grid’s sources of hydroelectric power in Lanao and Bukidnon are drying up.
Lao said Psalm-Napocor should “tell us directly how long the rotating blackouts would last.”
He added, “They can tell us possible solutions, and contingency measures being undertaken. Pero wala man sila mitunga.”
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