Cepalco exec says M’nao still lacking investments on power

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

POWER distributors in Mindanao will find it difficult to provide a stable supply of electricity to consumers unless more new players invest on power generating plants, an executive of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. (Cepalco) said.

During the city council’s committee on energy meeting, Cepalco senior vice president Ralph Paguio warned that the city and other areas in Mindanao would likely suffer from power outages again unless the island sees more investments on power generation.

The Misamis Oriental II Rural Electric Service Cooperative (Moresco II) agreed with Paguio’s projection that the cities of Cagayan de Oro, El Salvador, and Gingoog, along with nearby provinces might experience another round of power curtailments if the problem is not addressed properly.

“This can only be addressed if private power investors would [invest in] Mindanao.”
Coal-powered plants are coming in next year but the demands on the need for power would double by 2016, and they should anticipate this, Paguio said.

He said this impeding problem of power shortage in Mindanao can only be addressed by allowing nonenewable and renewable power plants like coal, solar and geothermal plants.

“We are still in the critical condition. Karon galisod gyud kita pag-pangita og supply sa kuryente,” Paguio said.

Paguio said the shortage could still happen even if Cepalco and other electric cooperatives operating in the region are still receiving and still maintain a continuous power contract from Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (Psalm).
“The entry of more investors in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental is now a dilemma. Dili pud pwede nga mo-ingon kita nga dili kita makahatag og kuryente kay ga-generate baya kini sila og daghan nga trabaho. And the government should do something about this,” he pointed out.

He said the construction of 110-mw coal-fired power plant in Balingasag and a 10-mw solar power plant would initially answer the projected power deficit.

At present, Paguio said the power demand of Cepalco has already reached close to 150mw, and they need more sources of power in the coming years.

“Kung mahuman kining among mga projects, this will initially answer the needs,” he said.