Senators unfazed by ‘rotating blackouts’

AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senators were unfazed by the Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) warning of rotating blackouts this summer with  one saying that this should give the government more reason to regain control of the power sector.

“Obviously, it’s a veiled threat,” Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said in a text message on Friday.

The Supreme Court issued last month a temporary restraining order (TRO against the P4.15 per kilowatt hour increase that Meralco has started to impose on its consumers.

“In case that happens, all the more that we should repeal the EPIRA law and have government control again the power sector,” said Sotto, who belongs to the opposition bloc in the Senate.

EPIRA is Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2011.

Senator Serge Osmena III, chairman of the committee on energy, also greed that Meralco’s warning of power disruption was only meant to pressure the Supreme Court to lift the TRO.

“Yes. Meralco knows the game,” Osmena said in a separate text message.

While she believes that the TRO against the rate increase may eventually lead to “rolling blackouts,” Senator Grace Poe said this should not stop the Senate from pursuing its own investigation into the alleged possible collusions among power producers.

“The supply of power depends largely on the power generators. In this case, if Meralco defaults in paying the wholesale power suppliers then those suppliers might opt to temporarily reduce or withhold supplying power to Meralco which may eventually lead to rolling blackouts,” Poe said in another text message.

She said the government should make sure to prevent any power disruptions.

“The DOE (Department of Energy) needs to make sure this does not happen,” Poe said.

“Also, a Senate investigation, on whether or not there was collusion among wholesale power generators, should continue. I for one would like to ask for a list of shutdowns both authorized and unscheduled, together with the reasons for the shutdowns last year,” she added.

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