AboitizPower leads drive to encourage energy conservation

MANILA, Philippines - AboitizPower, the power generation arm of the Aboitiz Group, is starting a campaign to encourage more electricity consumers to practice energy conservation measures as a power shortage looms next year.

AboitizPower president and COO Antonio Moraza said consumers in Luzon and the rest of the country can follow some of the measures undertaken by Visayan Electric Co. (VECO), the company’s distribution utility in the Visayas, which spearheaded Cebu’s own energy conservation program early this year.

The program, dubbed as Cebu Unplugged, garnered the support of the Cebu local government, business establishments and the general public.

“Cebu Unplugged is an advocacy that encourages the public to join a collective effort to save energy, and instills an attitude of consciousness and mindfulness towards energy conservation. It was successfully launched in Cebu earlier this year, and AboitizPower believes this can easily be replicated nationwide to create energy consciousness in every Filipino,” Moraza said.

Under the program, there are at least eight ways on how consumers can contribute to energy conservation.

These are: switching off the computer when not in use and use one gadget at a time, taking a break from gadgets, reading a book or enjoying the uninterrupted company of family and friends and watching just one’s favorite TV programs and turning off the TV while doing other things.

Other measures include switching off the lights when not in use, keeping the refrigerator door closed, washing all the clothes in the washing machine in one go and using the fan more than the air conditioner.

Furthermore, AboitizPower said consumers must unplug all appliances such as fans, television and radio when not in use since plugged appliances still consume electricity.

 “We fully support the Department of Energy’s energy conservation efforts.  We have already been doing it, together with the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) in the provinces, and we are optimistic that through a united, nationwide effort, next year’s power shortage can be mitigated,” Moraza said.

The company believes that a nationwide implementation of the ILP, wherein large energy users will use their own generator sets to ease demand from the grid, and an energy conservation campaign are still the most practical and cost efficient measures to address the power shortage next year.