Energy dep’t to present new Power Development Plan for 2006-2008

Energy Secretary Vincent Perez will present next week in a power summit the country’s revised Power Development Plan (PDP) in view of recent economic developments that impact the power sector.

The new PDP is expected to contain the additional capacity required in various grids at the close of the power supply-demand gaps between 2006 to 2008, with projections that economic growth would thrive at a faster pace.

Aside from Perez, other speakers in the whole day conference on Monday include Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairman Manuel Sanchez, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) president Edgardo del Fonso, and National Transmission Corp. (Transco) president Alan Ortiz.

The authors of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, Senator John H. Osmeña and former Speaker Arnulfo P. Fuentebella will also deliberate on the original intent of the law. Talks on the legislative agenda will also be complemented by Rep. Alipio Cirilo V. Badelles, the current chairman of the House committee on energy and co-chair of the Joint Congressional Power Commission.

The private sector, on the other hand, will tackle concerns on the future of the independent power producers (IPPs) in a deregulated environment and how they were able to survive the review process of their contracts.

At the same time, investors will also try to delve deeper into some issues that are currently causing some bottlenecks into the power sector’s deregulation, and identify potential opportunities being opened to them as a result of the restructuring process.

Meanwhile, energy officials in charge of the privatization of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) are also expected to tackle issues on the mandated establishment of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and set out parameters on how such a scheme will benefit the introduction of market competition in the near future.

One of the critical issues expected to be raised at the conference is the looming power supply shortages in the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid; which is now being given prime attention by the country’s energy officials.

Similarly, investor concerns and the revised timetable for the privatization of the Transco will also be tackled, as the government already scheduled the second round of bidding by September.