The upcoming 150-megawatt solar power plant in Daanbantayan, northern Cebu, will soon be integrated into the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) grid. This was discussed and agreed upon during a meeting between Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and NGCP officials on March 22.
Following this meeting, the newly-formed Cebu Electricity Rights Advocates (CERA) launched their Cebu Electricity Consumer Rights Campaign. This campaign aims to create opportunities for consumers to participate in determining the quality and cost of electricity they receive. The campaign’s objective is to ensure that consumers in Cebu have equal access to stable, reliable, and cost-effective electricity. It also seeks to ensure that consumers’ interests, demands, and concerns are heard by the appropriate authorities.
Accountability
In a statement, CERA called for accountability from the electricity distributors, Visayan Electric (VECO), Cebu Electric Cooperative (CEBECO), and Mactan Cebu Electric Cooperative (MECO), to ensure reliable and cost-effective power delivery to businesses and households.
The group also called for accountability from the NGCP, Power Sector Liabilities and Management Corp., Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Energy in fulfilling their responsibilities to the consumers, saying “We encourage all sectoral organizations to participate in this campaign because we are all affected by the effect of the reliability and cost-effectiveness of our source of power.”
The current electricity rates in the region vary, with MECO at P9.2087 per kilowatt hour (kwh), CEBECO at P12.25 per kwh, and VECO at P11.25 per kwh.
It added, “We wish for these electric cooperatives and distribution utilities to provide the best available technology which is reliable and not prone to unscheduled power interruptions to be the choice of generating facilities to serve our interests.”
CERA acknowledges that since Metro Cebu is a significant economic hub, there must be a balance between the cost and the reliability of the power provided. However, with demand outpacing supply, additional power sources like the Talisay and Daanbantayan solar power plants will be necessary.
Power Collaboration
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has assured that it will facilitate the transmission of power from these solar power plants, in collaboration with the Cebu Provincial Government and the private consortium Acciona Energía Global and Freya Renewables Inc., which recently signed a 25-year concession for the development of the solar power plant.
“We will collaborate closely. The sooner they finish, the sooner it benefits your business. They will integrate it into your grid,” Garcia said.
The solar power plant’s location is just one kilometer from NGCP’s substation. As a state-owned power grid operator, NGCP has graciously provided the Consortium with a complementary System Impact Study (SIS) to assist in ensuring a smooth and efficient connection between the solar facility and the electrical grid.