Gov’t hopes to get 1,000 MW add’l power from ILP

MANILA, Philippines - The government hopes to draw in up to 1,000 megawatts from the Interruptible Load Pro- gram (ILP) to prevent blackouts in the summer of 2015 when there is a projected supply short- age, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said yesterday.

“The ILPs are there but the ILPs are voluntary. The target is 1,000 MW from the ILP if we can,” Petilla said.

However, as of yesterday, the latest committed capacity from the ILP is still far from the target at only 182.87 MW.

But Meralco is still negotiating with other big power users for an additional ILP capacity of at least 635.48 MW, said Larry Fernandez, head of Meralco’s Utility Economics.

Under the program, big power users will be asked to run their own generators when supply is short in the summer months, instead of getting their power from the Luzon grid. In exchange, they will be compensated for their fuel costs.

The electricity that would not be taken from the grid would be avail- able to households and other users, sparing them from rotating black- outs.

Petilla assured that the Department of Energy is working double time to avert next year’s looming shortage even without the option to lease or purchase generator sets as he earlier proposed.

“We have a problem but we are doing something about it. It will be resolved,” Petilla said.

He added that there is no need for consumers to buy their own home generators, which come at a costly tab of at least P50,000.

“You don’t need to buy be- cause the problem will be re- solved,” Petilla said.