New energy efficiency law a ‘win’ for consumers — Gatchalian

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing into law of the “landmark” Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act is a timely victory for consumers, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Thursday.

READ: Duterte signs energy efficiency and conservation law

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy, said that with the law, ordinary consumers “stand to have more money in their pockets.”

“A 10 percent increase in energy efficiency will give an average Meralco household a P140 reduction in their monthly electricity bill, equivalent to an additional 5 kilograms of rice every month,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

He added that the law could also allow additional power supply by way of savings from energy efficiency and conservation.

The senator said the signing of this law was “very timely, especially now that our growing economy needs more power supply in the next few years.”

“Additional power supply will not come in the form of new power plants, but in savings from energy efficiency and conservation,” he added.

Gatchalian earlier said that the newly-signed law would give the Department of Energy (DOE) “a lot of teeth” in imposing energy conservation in the country.

With the law, he said, the DOE can penalize those who fail to become energy efficient. /cbb