ERC urged to junk power supply deals without ECC

AN intervenor in the seven power supply agreements ( PSA) being sought for approval by distribution utility Manila Electric Co. ( Meralco) has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission ( ERC) to dismiss outright the applications without the required environmental compliance certificates ( ECC).

In a statement, Romeo L. Junia, who represents the consumer group Power for People coalition, said he had filed with the ERC a motion to dismiss what he called “defective” applications.

Mr. Junia, a consumer intervenor opposing the seven Meralco PSAs, said he made the filing after he obtained a copy of the March 20, 2018 order of the ERC, which its chairperson Agnes T. Devanadera earlier disclosed to reporters. She said the ERC had ordered about three PSAs without the required ECC to submit the document. The deadline falls due on the third week of June, she added.

Mr. Junia identified the three PSAs as those forged by Meralco with Central Luzon Premier Power Corp. (CLPPC), Mariveles Power Generation Corp. (MPGC) and Global Luzon Energy Development Corp. (GLEDC) In all, they cover a total of 1,600 megawatts (MW).

“The lack of ECC is fatal because the rules require as supporting document the [ECC] issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the generation company,” he said.

Meralco had sought approval for the PSAs ahead of an expected increase in power demand while existing contracts are set to expire. —