Stop blackouts; contract power barges for Mindanao, govt told

LEGAZPI, Albay: The Aquino administration should contract out power barges for Southern Mindanao which has been experiencing power outages from time-to-time in securing a successful conduct of the 2013 automated midterm elections.

Team PNoy Senate bet and Rep. Edgardo “Sonny” Angara of Aurora made the call over the weekend in light of the apprehension expressed by rival Senate slate United Nationalist Alliance that the power interruptions in Mindanao could jeopardize the results of the 2013 elections.

“The Department of Energy (DOE) using negotiated contracts to acquire power barges should be an option, considering that Mindanao has a power shortfall of 294 megawatts,” Angara pointed out.

Per Angara, the demand stands at 1,157 megawatts versus the actual supply of only 863 megawatts.

The demand for power, Angara said, can still increase because of the surge and businesses and power use in the area.

The Aquino administration has earmarked P3.8 billion for the country’s power capabilities, including allocation for the rehabilitation of existing hydroelectric power plants in the south.

In addition, the Aquino government is also looking at the possibility of using a 300 megawatt interruptible power load plan to address power problems.

Team PNoy Senatorial candidate and former Rep. Cynthia Villar of Las Piñas, for her part, said that there is nothing to worry about because it is only a matter of managing the allocation of power.

“It is only a matter of allocation, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have source of power. We only have elections once every three years, so I don’t think that there will be power shortage,” Villar added in a separate interview. LLANESCA T. PANTI