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SINITA ng Power for People Coalition (P4P) ang Meralco nang hilingin na ipagpaliban ang pagsasagawa ng bagong Competitive Selection Process (CSP) dahil ang napiling gasolina at karbon ay parehong walang kakayahan na magsulong ng seguridad sa enerhiya sa bansa at mabigyan ng abot-kayang elektrisidad ang mga konsyumer.
Umapela ang Meralco sa Department of Energy (DOE) na payagan silang iliban muna ang pag-bid sa kanilang bagong 1,800 megawatt (MW) power capacity requirement sa gitna ng sitwasyon ngayon dahil sa COVID-19 crisis, at saka na lamang idetermina, sa dahilang pabago-bago umano ang presyo ng gasolina ngayon.
“We’re hearing from the mouths of Meralco officials themselves that the fuel sources they are eyeing for this new bid are extremely vulnerable to shock. The crisis we are going through is already exposing how unstable an economy that relies largely on coal and fossil fuels for its power is. It is concerning that Meralco’s response to the situation only stops at moving the bidding to a date when the fuels helpless against demand and price shocks are once again at their best, instead of making sure through its terms of reference that winning bidders are those able to weather shifting economic situations, like renewable energy,” paliwanag ni P4P Convenor Gerry Arances.
Ang pinalitang 1,800 MW requirement, kaya nanawagan ang Meralco ng mga pag-bid para sa 1,200 MW power supply na kailangan, una ang CSP na isinagawa nitong third quarter ng 2019.
“Meralco’s earlier CSP failed because the TOR (Terms of Reference) they issued was shamelessly and obviously crafted to ensure that the proposed 1,200 MW coal power plant in Atimonan of its power arm, MGen, wins the bid. It seems Meralco wouldn’t stop pulling tricks until it finally lands a power supply agreement for this dirty energy project,” giit ni Arances.
Patuloy at mahigpit na tinututulan ng grupong nagsusulong ng malinis na enerhiya at karapatan ng konsyumer sa bansa at ng mga apektadong komunidad sa Atimonan ang iminumungkahing “coal-fired power plant” dahil malaki ang magagawa nitong pinsala sa ekonomiya, kalikasan at sa kalusugan ng mamamayan.
“We’re not buying the narrative that their request for postponement is a bid to protect consumers. Even if the process is delayed, Meralco’s track record of force feeding coal into our power mix continues to threaten consumers with high electricity prices. They would again bear the burdens of an unstable power sector in future times of crisis like they are forced to do today,” ayon kay Arances.
Hinimok ni Arances ang Meralco na patunayan ang kanilang malasakit sa kanilang mga konsyumer sa pamamagitan ng mga proseso sa pagpili sa mas magaling na makapagbibigay ng “renewable energy.”
