DOE, ERC can be held ‘administratively liable’ for power outages

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) could be held “administratively liable” for the recent power outages in many parts of Luzon, Senator Gatchalian said Thursday.

Gatchalian explained that it is the mandate of the DOE and the ERC to ensure that power generation firms are on time in delivering power supply to the country.

He said the delay in the delivery resulted in the thinning of supply reserve during the dry season.

“We will hold them also administratively liable dahil trabaho ng DOE yan, trabaho ng ERC yan, at dapat aksyunan, hindi ‘yung puro recommendation at research. Importante aksyunan na,” Gatchalian told reporters in an interview.

(We hold them administratively liable because it’s their job. The DOE and ERC should take action and not just focus on recommendation and research. Action is important.)

“Administratively, pwede rin silang maging liable diyan (they could be held liable),” he added.

The senator said that it is possible that the DOE and ERC are still not implementing policies that would hold power generators accountable for the delays as well as the planned and forced power plant outages.

“Baka dati pa pinag-uusapan, hindi pa nai-implement. Kaya ipu-push natin na ma-implement na agad to dahil hindi na sapat ‘yung usap nang usap, research nang research, importante ngayon, ini-implement na,” he said.

(We may have been discussing but perhaps they have not implemented it. That is why we are pushing to implement them immediately because it is not enough to just talk about it. Research is important, but now it is more important to implement it.)

Gatchalian urged both agencies to impose penalties against power generators for lapses in providing electricity to the public because they have the power to do so.

“Isa sa mga sinuggest natin, kung may mga hindi sumusunod na bagong planta, patawan din ng penalty dahil tayo yung nadedehado dahil walang kuryente at tumataas ang presyo,” the senator said.

(One of our suggestions is to penalize power plants that are not following the guidelines. They have to be penalized because we are put at a disadvantage when prices of electricity go up.)

“May power na sila (DOE at ERC) para magpataw ng penalties, may power na rin sila para magpataw ng kaukulang parusa (They have the power to impose penalties),” said. /ee

READ: DOE, ERC urged to penalize power generation firms over plant outages

READ: Gatchalian wants to penalize power plants with supply delivery problems