CCCI sets power briefing for industry stakeholders

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry initiates a forum for the Cebu power providers to give an update to industry stakeholders on Cebu’s power supply status and the assurance of ample energy supply in the province in the next few years.

The CCCI Power Committee team headed by past president Carlos G. Co, power supplier such as Visayan Electric Company (VECO), National Power Corporation (NPC), Global Power Solutions and Salcon-Kepco will participate in the upcoming “Cebu Power Issues, Challenges and Beyond” power briefing/forum on March 28, 2008 at the Casino Español.

CCCI through Co’s Power Committee group is vigorously pushing for a more stable power supply in the province.

The business community has been at the forefront of Cebu’s development initiatives, and constantly urged the government to ensure the province’s energy security.

“Businessmen in Cebu are vigilant about the power situation in the island as a power shortage may derail its economic progress. Inadequate power supply will affect the productivity of industries since Cebu has a highly productive manufacturing sector which is dependent on a reliable power supply,” said Co in a statement. 

The forum shall have resource persons from the power and energy sectors of the province to present the current state of power in Cebu, and at the same time serve as a venue to gather opinions and perceptions from the business sector on the matter.

The establishment of two new power generation companies, the Global Power Solutions, and Salcon-Kepco, however lessen the threat of power supply shortage in the province by 2010.

However, business sector is demanding to be updated in the construction performance and completion targets of the two new coal-fired power plants, in order to be assured of no-power crisis ahead.

Earlier, the consortium between Aboitiz Power Corporation, Formosa Heavy Industries Corporation, Global Business Power Corporation, and Vivant Corporation,  promised that by early 2010 an additional of 264-megawatt will be made available to the bulk power consumers all over Cebu province, thus, arresting the problem of power supply shortage.

The Cebu power demand is at 460 megawatt its capacity is only 360-megawatt, the reason why the province has been importing power supply from geothermal power plant in Leyte through sub-marine transmission cable. 

Another new power generation company, KEPCO-SPC Power Corporation promised to provide over 60,000 MW of power generation capacity by 2011.