DOE help sought on Peco-Napocor interconnection
Iloilo City -- To ease the projected power shortage in Iloilo City, the Sangguniang Panlungsod approved a resolution requesting Department of Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla to extend immediate assistance for the interconnection of Panay Electric Company (Peco), Panay Power Corporation (PPC) and Cebu-Negros Panay (CNP) Grid of National Power Corporation (Napocor)-National Transmission Corporation (Transco).
The resolution was sponsored by Majority Floor Leader Eduardo Peñaredondo. It was unanimously approved in last Wednesday's regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The resolution stemmed from the request of Luis Miguel A. Cacho, PECO's executive vice president and chief operating officer in order to facilitate the early connection in time for annual peak demand which happens during summer months notably May and June.
Cacho's request for interconnection was in relation to the the order of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) last March 10, 2006. The PPC reportedly claimed that they could not meet the power demands of the city by the summer months of May and June.
The resolution states that the city is "already in dire need of power " and the power shortage can only be solved through immediate interconnection.
City officials are hopeful that the interconnection would avert the projected power shortage as Napocor's Power Barge 101 from Cebu is still on dry dock.
The PB is expected to arrive in the city probably by June.