Rep. Marcos: Congress needs to review NGCP franchise after blackout on Panay Island
MANILA, Philippines — Congress needs to review the franchise of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) after a massive blackout hit Panay Island and other areas, Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos said.
Marcos made the statement after filing House Resolution (HR) No. 1534 last Friday — copies of which were released on Monday — adding that a review of NGCP’s franchise should include the possibility of separating NGCP’s functions to ensure that it operates properly.
“There is a compelling need for Congress to conduct an investigation with the end in view of revisiting and reviewing the franchise of the NGCP,” Marcos, eldest son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said.
“The review should include the possible separation and transfer of the systems operation function from the NGCP to another entity which could carry out such function more efficiently,” he added.
Marcos noted that the review is necessary because the Department of Energy (DOE) appears to blame the Panay-wide blackout on NGCP’s hands.
Households in Panay Island, including other areas like Guimaras and some parts of Negros Island, were plunged into darkness last January 2, as NGCP claims that the unscheduled maintenance shutdowns of different power plants triggered the blackout.
READ: Power outage hits Panay Island
READ: NGCP asserts need for better resource planning after Panay power outage
However, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla pointed out that NGCP could prevent the issue from occurring in the first place because the corporation’s mandate is to maintain the stability of grids.
“Despite its being the country’s transmission service provider, the [NGCP] has disclaimed responsibility and fault, pointing to unplanned shutdowns of power generators as the real culprit,” Marcos said in the resolution.
“The [DOE], however, appears to blame the NGCP by citing facts highlighted by the Independent Market Electricity Operator of the Philippines (IMEOP) […] the IMEOP has pointed out that there was a two-hour window when the NGCP could have proactively called on the distribution utilities and electric cooperatives in Panay to reduce their load in order to prevent a sub-systemwide collapse,” he added.
Marcos said that streamlining NGCP’s task would allow it “to focus on the construction and operation of the transmission grid.”
Also, he said an investigation should “further explore the feasibility of authorizing the Energy Regulatory Commission to impose administrative penalties on the transmission concessionaire of P2 million per day of violation or non-compliance with regulatory rules”.
Marcos is not the first House lawmaker to ask for a probe of the incident. Over the past week, Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin asked for an investigation, as the impact on livelihood, schools, and businesses has been severe.
No less than Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas labeled the incident an “economic sabotage,” with the city losing millions every day during the blackouts.
The House committee on energy, headed by former speaker and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, is scheduled to tackle the issue when the panel meets on Thursday, January 11.
