PHL’S rural electrification program needs ₧29.542B more–nea chief
THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) needs P29.542 billion to pursue its electrification program. “For the full realization of total electrification, NEA’S initiative is to serve the remaining 1,168,969 consumer connections. The needed subsidy for NEA is a total of P23.013 billion sourced from National Government and, if the needed strategies from the private and other government initiatives will be included, a total of P29.542 billion is needed to energize the remaining unserved households,” said NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda.
Of the total amount that NEA needs, P20.794 billion is allotted for its Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) for 2023 up to 2028. The remaining amount is for NEA’S barangay line enhancement program, P2.378 billion; PV mainstreaming program, P568 million; microgrid SEP, P900 million; and other expenses, P4.9 billion.
NEA said the lack of government subsidy to finance its energization program remains its biggest challenge. Ne a’ s approved budget this year is only P1.62 billion, which will be allotted only for 1,085 sitios based on the estimated cost of P1.5 million per sitio.
“At the rate the SEP projects are going, based on the remaining unenergized sitios of 10,212 by year 2023-2028 for electrification, NEA will be requesting the National Government to fund an average of 2,000 sitios per year until year 2028 with an estimated project cost of P20.794 billion,” Almeda reported.
Almeda said NEA and the electric cooperatives (EC) would remain steadfast in their commitment despite the challenges.
NEA’S mandate is to pursue the total electrification of the country, through ECS, by way of enhancing distribution development, including the missionary areas was further strengthened by Republic Act (RA) 10531, otherwise known as the NEA Reform Act of 2013.
At end-2022, NEA energized 951 sitios. NEA said the completed sitios as of end-november last year connected an additional 499,117 consumers.
As such, the latest available energization status of the franchise areas of the ECS shows that 78 provinces, 90 cities, 1,387 municipalities, 36,081 barangays, 127,098 sitios and 15.35 million connections have been provided with electricity.