DOE seeks help of LGUs in streamlining gas stations

 Economy
Jun 062013
 
DOE seeks help of LGUs in streamlining gas stations

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) is urging local government units (LGUs) to streamline procedures in putting up retail gasoline stations in their areas, a ranking energy official said. Zenaida Monsada, director of the DOE’s Oil Industry Management Bureau, said they are coordinating with LGUs to explore ways on how to streamline business processes in their respective areas and pave the way for the construction of more retail stations around the country. “There is a lot of room for improvement in the existing retail rules. More players are coming in,” Monsada said during the Industry Emergency Response 2013, a safety forum organized by the Philippine Institute of Petroleum (PIP), an industry group of oil firms. She noted that at present, LGUs require so many documents before companies can put up gasoline stations. “There are numerous requirements. We have the mayor’s permit and so many other permits so what we’re looking at is how we can help the energy sector,” Monsada. Initially, the planned agreement with LGUs would focus on gasoline stations but may eventually cover other energy projects. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Monsada said they hope to finalize the agreement within the year. At present, there are 5,000 registered retail gasoline stations around the country. During yesterday’s IERO 2013 safety forum, industry players stressed the importance of safety as they warned the public against the practice of some merchants of selling fuel oil in bottles. Monsada said the unregulated nature of the “bote-bote” Read More …

DOE awards coal exploration contracts to Semirara

 Economy
Jun 032013
 
DOE awards coal exploration contracts to Semirara

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded coal exploration contracts to Semirara Mining Corp. of the Consunji Group covering two parcels of coal-bearing land in Mindoro Oriental. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) yesterday, Semirara Mining said the contract for coal-bearing land in the municipality of Bulalacao covers two phases – the exploration phase and the development and production phase. Under the exploration phase, Semirara Mining has two years to commence and may extend this for a maximum of two years. The exploration phase will terminate automatically unless coal reserves in commercial quantity are delineated. The DOE said Semirara Mining may proceed with the development and production phase for up to 10 years if coal reserves exist in commercial quantity. “Thereafter a term for a series of three-year periods, the total of which shall not exceed 12 years,” Semirara Mining said in its disclosure. The company has committed to spend no less than P148 million for its work program for the first two years in the conduct of geological investigation, geodetic survey and sub-surface exploration for the coal contract area. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Semirara Mining, owned by DMCI Holdings Inc., is a publicly listed company that has significant coal resources and reserves to supply a growing demand for clients in various areas including Cebu and Panay.

Power users allowed to look for best deal

 Economy
May 282013
 
Power users allowed to look for best deal

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will allow power consumers more time to enter into a retail supply contract as part of the open access regime. Under a draft resolution issued by the ERC, contestable customers who have not yet signed a contract with a supplier shall continue to be served by their franchised distribution utilities until they are able to negotiate a more competitive retail supply contract. “The intent is to ease pressure on the contestable customers in securing a retail supply contract and to avoid being disconnected from service or be served by a supplier of last resort which have higher rates,” the DOE said. The DOE said the ERC resolution is intended to address the growing concerns of many contestable customers of possible disconnection due to the inability to sign a retail supply contract with a supplier. The so-called retail competition and open access (RCOA) will make power distribution companies more competitive. Both the DOE and ERC are looking into how RCOA will better operate to achieve the intent of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) in terms of promoting customer choice, better services and competition in the power supply sector. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Under the so-called open acccess regime, large power users will be able to choose their own suppliers, in contrast with the current system where they are limited to the supplier that has jurisdiction over their areas. Mandated under Read More …

DOE chief still not keen on reviving BNPP despite blackout

 News
May 092013
 
DOE chief still not keen on reviving BNPP despite blackout

Despite the power outage that hit Luzon last Wednesday, the Department of Energy is not keen on reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant to shore up the country’s energy reserves. Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla on Thursday evening said the BNPP lacks the capacity to meet present-day demand levels for energy, and may have safety problems if it is upgraded. “During that time (1970s), I would say dati (ang power capacity natin) mga 5,000 to 6,000 megawatts. Ngayon itong plant na ito is 400 megawatts. ‘Pag ikaw nagdagdag ng 400 megawatts sa 5,000 megawatts, napakalaking bagay. Ngayon, ang 400 megawatts parang balewala kung 16,000 megawatts ang present capacity, katiting na lang,” Petilla said in an interview on dzBB. Today, figures from the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines shows the demand for energy in Luzon alone is already 8,567 megawatts, more than 20 times the BNPP’s 400 megawatts. Petilla said they are aware of suggestions from some sectors to revive the BNPP, which was mothballed after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. He said the plant had been paid for and needs only the reactors to run. Yet, he said that if it were to be useful, it should be upgraded to have a capacity of 2,000 megawatts. “Ang problema, ang nuclear power plant na ito luma na… So wala nang cost benefit…. Kung 400 megawatts, napakaliit ng capacity at napakalaki ng risk,” he said. The DOE earlier said it is taking steps to prevent a repeat of Wednesday’s power outage, especially Read More …

Gov’t warns of another power crisis

 Economy
Feb 272013
 
Gov’t warns of another power crisis

MANILA, Philippines – The power crisis that hobbled Mindanao last year may recur if the region’s baseload capacity is not increased soon, a government think tank said. Based on a study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the Mindanao power crisis may stage a comeback in this year’s and next year’s summer season given that there had been no additions to the baseload capacity. Baseload capacity refers to the generation units normally used to meet power demand round-the-clock. PIDS senior research fellow Adoracion Navarro said in the summer of 2012, Mindanao experienced a crippling power crisis, which revealed the shoddy and fragmented state of energy infrastructure in the region as well as in the whole country. Entering another summer period, attention is again rising because of the precariously low power supply, which is feared to put a brake on economic development. “Businesses, for instance, have voiced concerns that the country’s energy situation may slow down and even stunt the country’s economic growth,” Navarro said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Consolidated forecasts for electricity demand for the period 2010-2019 show an annual average demand growth of 4.28 percent in Mindanao, which is higher than the national rate of 3.63 percent for the same period. The Mindanao grid at present has 37.31-percent baseload generating capacity, a far cry from Luzon’s 63.94 percent and Visayas’ 71.88 percent, based on 2012 data from the Department of Energy (DOE). Mindanao’s generating capacity is also heavily dependent on hydropower, Read More …

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