Zubiri: Senate to prioritize EPIRA amendments;
warns vs bunker, gas use in Sucat power plant

On open access:

"The Senate will prioritize the EPIRA amendments before the Senate goes on a recess next week. The passage of the bill on EPIRA amendments will enable power consumers to buy electricity from their preferred supplier or generators. Can subdivisions or malls directly contract and buy power from preferred suppliers such as the wind power generation plants?"

"If consumers want to contract directly with power generators, then asking the consumer to first get a certification from the distribution utility defeats the purpose of the provisions for open access. The distribution utility will of course think first of the loss in sales (arising from open access). "

In answer to Zubiri's repeated query, the ERC clarified that open access even of the interim type is not being implemented. The DOE said that open access can only happen if there is competition in generation and transmission utilities will only collect wheeling charges.

On Sucat power plant:

"The Sucat power plant produces one of the dirtiest types of power. If ever it should be put onstream again, it should use a cleaner fuel not gas which has the highest carbon emissions and thus harms human health and the environment."

He said this in reaction to DOE statement that the government may operate the Sucat power plant in order to supply power in case the private sector cannot cover the 3,000 MW deficiency in 2012.