Press Release
February 14, 2018

Win transcript of ambush interview on ERC and Power Supply

Q: Kanina binanggit na with four ERC commissioners na nakabalik na in position, ibig sabihin ang pinangangambahan natin na brown-out ay hindi na mangyayari?

SEN WIN: Right, everyday ay magreresolba sila ng dalawang kaso for the next 60 days so effectively, maraming mga kontrata at certificate of compliance ang ma-a-approve, at ang worry natin na magkakakroon ng brown out this coming April ay hindi na mangyayari. It was also dicussed to us by DOE, taken to accounts ng ERC in the past na mako-correct na ito. Sa kanilang computation, hindi tayo magkakaroon ng pagkukulang ng kuryente this summer.

Q: Ilan po ba ang application for new power plants?

SEN WIN: Actually, renewal, there are new power plant for evaluation, nakita ko kanina na umaabot sya ng almost 500 megawatts more or less, this is enough to cover what is required this summer.

Q: 990?

SEN WIN: Kanina ang na-approve based on the presentation is about 1500 megawatts, na-approve at ma-a-approve. Lahat-lahat na ito, in total.

Q: Yung mag pending PSAs Sir from before, may timeline po ba?

SEN WIN: Ang briefing sa amin is approximately 100 cases including PSAs will be approved in the next 60 days, kasama na diyan ang PSAs at ibang mga cases so ang importante dito, ang bottomline is may action plan and ERC will be working double time. In fact ang disclosure nga is two cases ang ma-a-approve every day for the next 60 days.

Q: Will that sufficiency cover for the impending hike in the price of power kasi diba kinatatakutan natin noon is the possible hike in price?

SEN WIN: Right. Dito naman sa hike in price especially in coal, directly pass-on yan sa consumers. Hindi dadaan yan sa ERC except kung may magrereklamo but kung wala, directly na makikita natin yan sa electricity bill because it's a direct pass-on to the consumers.

Q: Yung sufficiency of power supply that's nationwide Sir no?

SEN WIN: Yes, that's nationwide and iba-ibang lugar na yan dahil ang PSAs at contract galing yan sa iba't-ibang lugar so hindi lang yan sa Metro Manila maaapektuhandin ang ibang lugar. So it's a blessing na nakaupo na rin ang apat na commssioners at least for the next 60 days para maresolba na rin ang mga pending cases and the Commission on the Court of Appeals took note that importante talaga itong power industry dahil lahat tayo ay nangangailangan ng kuryente.

Q: What will happen after the next 60 days? Anong mangyayari doon sa apat na commissioners?

SEN WIN: Tinanong ko rin yan kanina and in the next 60 days, anything can happen. The suspension can continue and they can be absolved, anything can happen. In fact, hindi rin yan masagot ng maayos kanina sa hearing kung ano ang mangyayari so anything can happen. It's really up to the commissioners how they will defend themselves.

Q: Meaning, we are resolved at least for the next 60 days?

SEN WIN: Yes, kaya importante na in the next 60 days, mag-double or mag-triple ang ERC dahil yan ang window natin para maaprubahan ang mga pending contracts and in simple terms, kapag hindi naaprubahan ang mga kontrata, magkakaroon tayo ng brown-out.

Q: There was a point raised kanina Sir na it doesn't follow na walang commissioners because it depends on the staff.

SEN WIN: Yun ang ni-re-resolve naming ngayon kasi nga in our system right now, naka-tally ang commissioners at staff so sa ibang jurisdiction, ang staff ang nagtatrabaho ay lahat. Yun ang inaayos naming na in the future ang staffing ng ERC ay capable and always ready in any event so yun ang inaayos naming in this proposed bill.

Q: Pano po ang pending PSAs ng Meralco na under contention?

SEN WIN: I understand that it is not part of the 90 contracts that will be deliberated, it's already in the ERC and I think they are carefully evaluating this dahil malaki ang capacity nito. Almost 3,000 megawatts so later on we will also ask them ano ba ang potential na problema kung itong 3,000 megawatts ay hindi papasok sa system natin?

Q: Ilang megawatts po ba ang requirement ng Luzon?

SEN WIN: Luzon more or less is about 13,000 megawatts ang requirement.

Q: That will be covered?

SEN WIN: Yes, that will be covered. The entire country is more or less 16,000-17,000 megawatts.

Q: Sa draft bill niyo po, what's next after it?

SEN WIN: I think we have a meeting of the minds na kailangan talagang palakasin ang ERC, hindi na pwedeng maulit ang suspension, corruption, power play. If you remember, nag-umpisa ito sa power play sa politika inside. That's what we don't want to happen dahil kung magulo ang regulator, ang kawawa ay ang mga consumers because walang mag-a-approve ng kontrata so we want to make sure na stable palagi ang regulator sa power sector.

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