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NAGPAHAYAG kahapon ng suporta ang Power for People Coalition (P4P) sa Department of Energy (DOE) sa panawagan sa Meralco na baguhin ang regulasyon at bigyan ng kakayahang umangkop ang ‘power suppliers bidding’ sa pangangailangan ng enerhiya, kasabay ng pagtutulak na isama ang renewable energy (RE) sources sa power distributor’s energy mix.
HIniling ng Meralco na mag-bid para sa 1,200 megawatts ng supply pero tinukoy na ang elektrisidad ay kailangang nanggaling mula sa kontorbersiyal na “high efficiency, low emissions” (HELE) technology, na sinasabing nakababawas ng emissions na hindi maglalabas ng total pollution sanhi ng paggamit ng coal o karbon.
“We welcome the announcement of Secretary Alfonso Cusi calling on Meralco to change its terms of reference for its competitive selection process (CSP). However, we are not happy that the changes he asks for will just allow more coal-fired power plants to participate, instead of taking the opportunity to obey President Duterte’s directive to have more renewable sources available to Filipinos,” ayon kay P4P Convenor Gerry Arances.
Sa ilalim ng mga term, nais ng Meralco na ang generation companies na mag- bid para sa kabuuang supply requirement gamit ang mga planta na may HELE, habang si Cusi naman ay nais na ang anumang planta na makapagbebenta lamang ng parte ng kapasidad upang maipagbili ang kanilang mga labis o surplus sa open market.
“Meralco’s arcane CSP rules are problematic on many different levels. Unfortunately, Secretary Cusi focused only on the aspects of the rules which are of concern to big investors and not those of concern to ordinary people. Even if the DOE’s changes are adopted, electricity will not be affordable, reliable, and sustainable, as what President Duterte wants,” ani Arances.
Magugunitang ang Green energy groups, na pinangungunahan ng P4P, ay masigasig sa kanilang puspusang pangangampanya laban sa pagggamit ng karbon, kabilang ang teknolohiyang ‘clean coal’ bilang requirements ng Meralco sa kanilang pinakahuling alok sa bid.
“There is nothing clean about coal. What the so-called ‘clean coal’ does is simply to change what part of the Earth it’s polluting. Instead of the air, it will pollute our ground and waters,” dagdag ng P4P Convenor.
