DOE gives OMECO certificate of exemption for negotiated procurement —PCO
The Department of Energy has issued a certificate of exemption to allow the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (OMECO) to enter into a negotiated procurement for an emergency power supply agreement for 17 megawatts (MWs), the Presidential Communications Office has announced.
In a statement, the PCO said Power Systems, Inc. has an existing diesel power plant in the capital town of San Jose that could supply OMECO with six MWs of power.
PCO indicated that these are some of the measures that the government had been taking since OMECO is facing a power shortage of 22.5 megawatts (MWs), the cause frequent power outages in the area.
The PCO said the National Electrification Administration and Omeco has solicited possible suppliers for the EPSA.
"DMCI Power Corporation (DPC) appears to be the only power company that can provide immediate power supply in the shortest amount of time," the PCO said.
"DPC committed to supply 10 MWs within one month and the remaining 7MWs in two months," it added.
PCO said there are four diesel generator sets, at 2 MW per unit, in the possession of electric cooperatives in Region 8.
"NEA is currently assessing if these four units are fit for use and available for dispatch," PCO said.
"If a unit is found to be fit for use, it would be dispatched immediately to OMECO," it added.
PCO said the said units would be used as reserved power assets until the DPC could deliver its committed power supply.
The agency said the PSI-San Jose power plant and the corresponding fuel would cost around Php70 million per month.
"This measure would give the residents of Occidental Mindoro roughly 6-7 hours of electricity per day," it said.
The PCO said the NEA will facilitate and monitor the delivery of additional power supply in the province.
The National Power Corporation will also explore how it can provide additional supply in the province.
The cost of the fuel can be provided by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or the local government units (LGUs), depending on the arrangements in the use of available calamity funds. —NB, GMA Integrated News