ERC to still consider pleas vs Meralco deals

MOTIONS covering disputed power supply agreements ( PSAs) sealed by Manila considered by the Energy Regulatory Commission proceeding.

The petitioners are questioning Meralco’s power deals with Atimonan One Energy Inc., Panay Energy Development Corp., Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc., and St. Raphael Power Generation Corp.

The PSAs have yet to be approved and the ERC said that only the deal with Panay Energy had been granted a provisional authority.

Civil society organizations, consumer groups, and homeowners on Wednesday decried the ERC’s ruling to reject the petitions for intervention, which are part of a larger complaint involving alleged “sweetheart” deals totaling 3,551 megawatts with seven sister companies.

The dismissal rejected the people’s “right to choose cheaper and cleaner energy alternatives than those offered by Meralco and its partners,” Center for Energy, Ecol- ogy and Development Executive Director Gerry Arances said.

Arances said the deals were clear attempts to shut out competi “renewable energy sector offering to sell power generated at a much lower cost.”

Sanlakas Secretary General a motion for reconsideration and exhaust all legal remedies, adding the ERC decision had set the tone a House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability hearing on September 26.

the Ombudsman against the ERC, claiming that the agency’s “after the office suspiciously moving the implementation of CSP rules four months after taking effect, leaving the door open for the Meralco to skip the competitive selection process.”