Colmenares: PNoy should act fast to stop Mindanao power crisis

Makabayan senatorial bet Neri Colmenares today expressed his fear that the ongoing black outs happening in many areas in Mindanao would be very dangerous for the coming elections and that it should be addressed immediately.

“Whatever happened to the promise of the Department of Energy (DOE) during the budget hearings that the energy situation in the whole country is stable and that they have made preparations even for the effects of El Nino? Tapos ngayon brown out sa Mindanao. Hindi ba dapat nag-oonline na ang mga planta na ginagawa? Ang sabi pa nga nila ay mas tataas pa ang supply ng kuryente sa Mindanao kesa sa demand,” said Colmenares.

Colmenares said that Pres. Aquino should immediately act on the current power crisis in Mindanao before it worsens in the next few months, especially during the elections because it would be very dangerous and the result of the elections there would be very suspect.

The senior deputy minority leader lamented that the government has failed to act on the thirteen recommendations made by the Mindanao Power Summit in April 2012.

“Nagpasummit pa sina dating DOE Sec. Petilla noon pero hindi naman nila gagawin ang mga napagkasunduan at rekomendasyon kaya ngayon ito pa din ang brownouts sa Mindanao,” said Colmenares.

The three-term congressman said, “The Aquino administration should adopt the following measures based on the said recommendations of the Mindanao Power Summit:

• Accelerate the rehabilitation of all the Agus hydro plants not producing their designed capacity (Agus 1, 2, 4, 6), accelerate the implementation of the Balo-i flood control project and rehabilitation of the Pulangui plant to produce at least 254 megawatts of cheap, renewable energy;
• Accelerate the construction of renewable energy power plants instead of coal plants and;
• Compel PSALM-NPC to deploy its power barges to Mindanao to take up the power shortfall while additional capacity is being created from renewable energy sources.”

Colmenares also said that given Mindanao’s massive potential for renewable energy, it would be cheaper to develop these than rely on environmentally-hazardous coal power plants. (PR)