Cebu guv calls for emergency meeting as power crisis drags into September

Local

CEBU Gov. Pamela Baricuatro on Thursday, Sept. 3, called for an emergency meeting with power suppliers and key energy stakeholders as the province’s power crisis continues into September.

Baricuatro's statement came after electricity distributors in Metro Cebu started implementing longer-than-usual brownouts.

The governor said she has asked the Department of Energy , National Grid Corp. of the Philippines , Visayan Electric, Cebu Electric Cooperative and other concerned players to meet and provide a clear picture of the province’s current power situation.

The meeting aims to identify gaps in Cebu’s electricity supply and determine immediate and long-term measures to address the crisis, she said.

“While electricity generation, transmission, and distribution are not directly under the jurisdiction of the Cebu Provincial Government, I have called for a meeting with our power suppliers and key energy stakeholders,” Baricuatro said.

The power crisis in Cebu, which began last May, has persisted into September, affecting households and businesses at a time when the province is seeking to attract more investments and expand its industries.

This September, the provincial government will mount the fourth iteration of the Cebu Economic Forum.

“We want more investments. We want industries to expand. We want more businesses and more jobs for Cebuanos. But none of these can happen sustainably if our energy supply cannot keep pace with our growth," said Baricuatro.

The provincial government has been working to advance projects that could add generating capacity to Cebu, particularly renewable energy developments that have been in the pipeline, she added.

Among these are the proposed ACCIONA solar farm in Daanbantayan and Alternergy’s wind-energy project in Alegria, which the Capitol has helped facilitate.

The governor also cited oil and gas exploration as a potential source of energy for Cebu.

Baricuatro acknowledged that addressing the province’s power problems should have started much earlier but said the government must now focus on immediate solutions while preparing for Cebu’s long-term energy needs.

“I believe this is something that should have been addressed a long time ago. But we cannot keep looking back, and we certainly cannot allow the problem to continue,” she said.

Meanwhile, the province will hold a Cebu Energy Summit on Oct. 7 to bring together representatives from the energy sector, government, business community, investors and other stakeholders.

The summit is intended to provide a broader discussion on Cebu’s energy future and the investments needed to ensure a more reliable and sustainable power supply, Baricuatro said.

“We assure the Cebuano people that we will continue to push for a more reliable, sufficient, and sustainable energy supply for Cebu,” she added.(RBE)