Samar bishops appeal for renewable energy access

The EDC — which owns and operates geothermal power plants in Tongonan, Leyte — is asked to provide an ‘emergency power supply agreement’ to solve this insufficient power supply

TACLOBAN CITY — Bishops from the three dioceses of Samar Island is urging the Energy Development Corporation to increase its offered capacity of electricity generated from the geothermal plants in Ormoc City to electricity cooperatives in Eastern Visayas to lower energy cost in the region and lessen its carbon footprint by using a renewable energy source.

In a resolution approved at the 45th Assembly of Samar Island Partnership for Peace and Development on 25 November in Catarman, Northern Samar, the bishops said there is a need to increase its supply capacity for regional needs.

“Considering the present effects of an insufficient power supply in particular to Eastern Visayas Electric Cooperatives, there is clearly a need to urgently and promptly procure sufficient capacity base load energy from a reliable source to ensure stability of power supply that can be purchased at a reasonable cost by the member-consumers,” the resolution said.

The prelates added that the EDC — which owns and operates geothermal power plants in Tongonan, Leyte — is asked to provide an “emergency power supply agreement” to solve this insufficient power supply.

They added that an emergency power supply agreement, EDC can increase its supply of power to the 11 electric cooperatives in the region and “would ultimately result in the minimization of the high cost of electric power in the whole of Samar and Leyte islands.”

“SIPPAD supports the utilization of renewable energy from local sources, such as those generated from geothermal plants, and recognizes that the same shall ultimately reduce dependence on fossil fuels which in present conditions exposes consumers to severe fluctuations of coal and fuel in the international market and its hazardous effects to the environment in its consumption,” it added.

The bishops said they are ready to meet with officials of EDC to discuss their proposal.

The resolution was signed by Bishop Emmanuel Trance of the Diocese of Catarman, Bishop Isabelo Abarquez of Diocese of Calbayog and Bishop Crispin Varquez of Diocese of Borongan. A copy of the resolution was furnished to Daily Tribune on Saturday by SIPPAD secretariat Fr. Cesar Aculan.