A nationwide consultation is currently being carried out by the department; and it just kicked off in Cebu City yesterday.
Giving prime importance of the energy sector’s critical role in regional developments, Energy Undersecretary Guillermo R. Balce disclosed that the DoE "is coordinating the formulation of regional energy plans (REPs) covering the entire regions of the country."
As planned, the REPs will detail out information on the energy profile of each region; and these "will serve as a guide in building the appropriate energy infrastructures to boost the region’s economic activities and ultimately improve the quality of life of the people" consistent with President Arroyo’s five-point energy independence agenda."
The traditional practice is for the energy department only crafting the National Energy Plan; and efforts to regionalize it only began in 2003; by separating the energy plans for the three main island grids — Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; and eventually integrating them into the Philippine Energy Plan.
Such planning strategy was later enhanced in the 2005 Updated PEP; and has since widened its coverage to include the key regions in the country; such as the Calabarzon area (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal and Quezon); the Western Visayas area; Central Visayas; northern Mindanao and Davao region.
For the 2006-2015 PEP, the energy department has noted that this will already integrate the regional energy plans; and is expected to provide a better picture of what exactly would be the country’s future energy needs. (MMV)
In this vein, energy officials are enthusiastically calling on all stakeholders to participate in the ongoing consultation process; so that more accurate data can finally be incorporated in the final national energy plan.
"Through these consultations we are calling on the support and cooperation of the different sectors as we prepare the REPs, in particular the REP for Region VIII or the Eastern Visayas. You know better and we count on your support to come up with more focused, comprehensive and responsive energy plans in your areas," Balce has appealed.
Following the consultations, the draft REP will then be presented to the stakeholders by August this year for further comments. The DoE is mandated under Republic Act 7638 to update annually the country’s energy plan.
Balce has emphasized that the existing REPs for Regions VI and VII will also be updated to respond to the challenges of the Medium-term Regional Development Plan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
It was noted that energy demand for Region VI and VII are expected to increase at an average annual rate of 4.3 percent and 5.6 percent respectively, based on the PEP 20052014 planning period.
In terms of energy resource, the Visayas region is rich with indigenous and renewable energy sources such as geothermal, biomass and hydro.
At present, the geothermal fields in the Visayas are producing more than 900 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. Two geothermal power projects are also in the pipeline- the 40MW Northern Negros and another 20MW optimization project in Palinpinon, Leyte.
