Nationwide electrification still a challenge
The electrification of far-flung areas is still facing hurdles due to high power cost and accessibility issues
Despite the planned construction of more power capacity, transmission lines, and substation facilities this year, electrifying the whole nation before the term of current administration ends in 2022 remains a challenge. During an episode of the Daily Tribune’s online program “Straight Talk” Tuesday, National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) president and CEO Melvin Matibag said the electrification of far-flung areas is still facing hurdles due to high power
cost and accessibility issues.
“I’m wishing that we can do that but I think it would be hard... I think by the end of this administration there may be a substantial increase,” Matibag said.
He noted that the government has electrified “more than 70 percent of what was accomplished by the previous administration.”
In March, TransCo and the National Power Corp. disclosed that they are targeting to add 45.31 megawatts of power capacity and 71.3 circuit kilometers of transmission lines.
Matibag said the improvements were attributable to the “consistent” policies implemented by Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi.
Cusi previously said that he wants to tap alternative sources to power up the whole country and substantially cut electricity costs.
The energy chief underscored that developing indigenous sources may help resolve power accessibility and affordability issues.
He noted that the government has electrified more than 70 percent of what was accomplished by the previous administration.
In March, TransCo and the National Power Corp. (Napocor) disclosed that they are targeting to add 45.31 megawatts of power capacity and 71.3 circuit kilometers of transmission lines.
Napocor and Transco also plan to build 45 megavolt-amphere substation facilities this year.
For Napocor alone, the company said it will add 11 Small Power Utilities Group plants providing 24/7 electricity to unserved areas, as part of its missionary electrification project this year.
I’m wishing that we can do that but I think it would be hard... I think by the end of this administration there may be a substantial increase.
As of end-2020, Napocor said 1,080,242 households in missionary areas already have electricity while 473,845 remained unserved.
This year, Napocor plans to narrow this gap by providing electricity to 28,972 households, which will cut its backlog on unserved areas to 444,873 households.
TransCo, meanwhile, targets to complete the power development plan for the interconnection of unserved and underserved island municipalities this year.
As of September 2020, TransCo’s current assets amounted to P10.59 billion, up by 20 percent from the previous year’s record of P8.83 billion.