PARTY-LIST Rep. Neri J. Colmenares of Bayan Muna has blamed the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) for the high cost of electricity and the continuing instability of energy supply in the country.
“Privatizing the energy sector left the country subject to the whims and collusion of private corporations resulting to the instability and high prices of electricity,” he added.
“Secretary Jericho L. Petilla’s threats of a specter of brownouts only proves that the country is still in the same rut it was when Epira was passed. While we continue to question basis for the supposed lack of supply, the much feared energy crisis will eventually happen unless we repeal Epira and craft a pro-people law that will govern the energy sector,” Colmenares said.
“We oppose emergency powers for President Aquino precisely because not only has Petilla failed to prove the claimed lack of supply, but also because this short-sighted, ‘Band Aid’ solution will increase the cost of electricity and will not assure stable energy supply. We need long term solutions, not short term magic tricks,” he added.
“There is only one and only one solution to our energy problem—repeal Epira now,” Colmenares said.
While calling for the immediate repeal of Epira, Colmenares continues to assert that Petilla has not adequately explained why there is a lack of supply.
The Energy secretary said that the figures he earlier used were wrong and that they were surprised about the supposed needed overhaul of Malaya 1.
“But what will keep Petilla from later claiming that the figures they are presently using are also wrong? As it is the secretary was hard put in explaining their obsession for emergency powers here in Congress and even at the Senate. So what would be the basis for congress and senate to grant emergency powers to the President before the end of October? There is no hard evidence that there would indeed be a power crisis next year” argued Colmenares.
“Hindi nga maipaliwanag ng maayos at kapani-paniwala kung kukulangin nga ba talaga ng kuryente sa susunod na taon ay minamadali naman itong emergency powers. Ang masama pa ay kukuhanan nito ng P6 hanggang P12 bilyon ang Malampaya funds at iba pa ito sa ipapasang singil sa mga gumagamit ng kuryente. Sa ngayon ay wala pa kaming nakikitang dahilan kung papaano magkakaroon ng kakulangan sa kuryente kung hindi ito sasadyain ng mga generating companies,” Colmenares said.
“At the next energy committee hearing we will request all the owners and operators of power plants in Luzon to submit a detailed report of their installed and dependable capacities and their availability, as well as power plants to go on the grid in six to nine months. We also want a detailed report on the complete status of each plant, as well as their scheduled shut downs. We also want various groups to present their position on alternative approaches other than the use of emergency powers,” he said.