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CEBU based consumers plagued by rotation brownouts would have to wait for clearance from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) before availing of the excess 15 megawatts of energy offered by a Panay-based power firm.
In contrast, the Panay Power Corp. (PPC) could directly sell their excess power to the Balanbam Economic Zone (BEZ) and the Carmen Copper Corp. (CCC) without entering into an agreement, said its sister company Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC).
These details were explained during yesterday's power point presentation on Cebu?s energy situation attended by Capitol officials and energy sector stakeholders.
Jesus Alcordo, GBPC president, said the power swap can provide short term relief to Cebu's power deficit.
Under the proposed power swap, which recently garnered support from Cebu's business community, the PPC is expected to provide Cebu with 15 megawatt (MW) of excess power or even more.
During the presentation, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said additional power is needed since there is no immediate alternative additional power supply in sight.
?With whatever energy we save from the PPC, we will divert it to Cebu,? said Alcordo.
Garcia said Cebu posted the biggest increase in power demand with an average of 10.1 MW over last year.
The high power demand, aging power plants and the shortage in the Cebu Negros Panay (CNP) grid, led to an energy deficit of 40 to 50 MW in Cebu.
The Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) is implementing rotation brownouts and requiring companies to use generator sets during peak hours to conserve power for residences.
Alcordo said GBCP would operate their new power plant next February in Toledo City.
The proposed power swap would enable the PPC based in Iloilo to swap the same volume from the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) grid and channel it to Cebu where it would be distributed by Napocor to Cebu.
Ed Santina, GBCP assistant vice president, said the PPC's excess power would be transmitted to Cebu through submarine cables.
Power will be directed to the Sigpit switch yard in Toledo where the meter for the proposed power swap would be located.
From the Sigpit switch yard, power is transmitted to the Toledo Power Plant for distribution to the end users, Santina explained.
?We have existing contracts with BEZ and CCC. There was no more need to enter into another agreement with them. We only needed to increase the power load,? he said. With a report from Correspondent Chris Ligan
