Bantay energy vs abuso
P4P KASADO SA PAGBUSISI NG $3.3-B LNG DEAL HANGGANG ERC, PCC

KUKUWESTIYONIN ng Energy watchdog group na Power for People Coalition (P4P) ang joint venture agreement (JVA) sa pagitan ng San Miguel Corporation, Manila Electric Company (Meralco), at Aboitiz Power Corporation na magpapatakbo sa operasyon ng LNG facilities sa Batangas dahil mangangahulugan ito ng pagkontrol sa  supply ng imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) na gagamitin para sa power generation.

Ayon kay P4P convenor Gerry Arances, tungkulin nilang tutukan ito bilang watchdog sa power industry.

“The movement, the P4P Coalition, is now studying the possibility of opposing the agreement once it is lodged to the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission),” pahayag ni Arances.

Tinukoy ni Arances na maghahain sila ng reklamo sa Philippine Competitive Commission (PCC) ukol sa  anti-competition case laban sa kasunduan.

“We need to defend the electric consumers, (we need to fight for) our right to clean and affordable energy. Questioning the JVA is a step in the right direction in protecting consumers from an endless cycle of power rate hikes,” diin ni Arances.

Ang Batangas facilities na magpapatakbo ng imported LNG ay isang ‘expensive fuel’ para sa power generation.

“Once the merger and acquisition of the LNG (power plants) are completed, this will result in the hiking of electricity rates that will severely affect electric consumers. The LNG is prone to price increases as it is vulnerable to market forces globally,” giit ni Arances.

Inihalimbawa ng grupo ang developments ng  US LNG industry na ipinatigil ng pamahalaan ang pagpapalawak ng LNG terminals.

Ito ay patunay, ani Arances, na kung magpapatuloy ay tiyak na dahil sa LNG ay tataas ang presyo ng gasolina.

Naalarma rin ang grupo sa timing ng JVA matapos na ang Meralco ay pagkalooban ng 2.4 gigawatts worth na new power supply agreements sa dalawang plantang pagmamay-ari ng kanilang partners sa JVA.

Ang Meralco ay makakukuha ng 40 porsiyento sa Ilijan LNG Power Plant at Excellent Energy Resources LNG Power Plant ng dahil sa naturang kasunduan na agarang magiging distribution utility  ang may-ari ng power plants.

“In January, Meralco gave away 80 percent of its new power requirements to these two SMC gas plants based on terms that give consumers the short end of the stick. Now, we learn that Meralco, all this time, was intending to buy those plants, and would be directly benefiting from expensive costs of fuel passed on to consumers. This is clearly robbery in broad daylight,”  paglilinaw ni Arances.

Nais ng SMC, Aboitiz, at Meralco na mapasakamay ang adjacent liquefied natural gas import at regasification terminal na pag-aari ng Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Company na mayroong lisensiyadong field Power Corporation.

Dahil dito, binigyang-diin ni Arances na ito ay malinaw na paglabag sa intensiyon ng Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) na nagbabawal sa cross-ownership sa pagitan ng generation at distribution sectors at upang maipatupad ang kompetisyon nang matiyak ang mababang singil sa presyo ng koryente at mabigyang proteksiyon ang mga consumer laban sa mga abusado.

“Government authorities should put a stop to this madness,” pagwawakas ni Arances. (NIÑO ACLAN)