CEBU BROWNOUTS DUE TO CONTINUED POWER SHORTAGE IN CEBU-NEGROS-PANAY
CEBU CITY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009 (STAR) Businesses lose millions to brownouts (The Freeman) Rotating brownouts brought about by the continued power shortage in the Cebu-Negros-Panay have caused millions of losses in terms of income among businesses in Cebu, the Philippine Retailers Association-Visayas revealed.PRAV Chairman Robert Go said that small and medium businesses that do not have generator sets are the ones greatly affected by the rotating brownouts. He explained that without electricity, operations cannot push through, thus, employees are forced to go home early.
“Service companies using equipment machinery had to stop operation. Some products were wasted and destroyed when a midstream engine stop or a car shop can’t bring a car down from the alignment machine,” Go said.
Go said it is difficult to quantify the actual losses without the total number of establishments and total opportunity losses, but it is reportedly safe to estimate that the losses have reached millions.
As of yesterday, the Cebu Thermal Power Plant 1 and 5 units of Cebu Diesel Power Plant 1 with 6mw each in Naga was unavailable as per system alert from the National Grid Power Corporation.
The Visayan Electric Company Inc.’s share of the interruption reached 50mw in the morning peak, 70mw in the afternoon peak, and 50 mw in the evening peak.
VECO interrupted four feeders starting at 9:15 am in Calamba 313 (Gaudalupe, Labangon, Tisa), Mandaue 311 (Kasambagan, Mabolo, Banilad, Tipolo and Subangdaku), Cabangcalan 311 (Banilad, Mandaue, Talamban, Canduman, Casuntingan and Cabangcalan). Power returned one hour later.
Again, the Mandaue Feeders 312 was interrupted at 12 pm, which affected the areas of Looc, Cambaro, Centro, Alang-alang, Ibabao, Mantuyong, Guizo, Tipolo, Bakilid, Maguikay, Casuntingan, and Banilad.
By 1:30 pm, greater part of Mandaue City and barangays Kasambagan, Barrio Luz, Lahug, Apas, and Busay in Cebu City, as well as areas leading to mountain barangays, were also interrupted.
The greater part of Talisay City, the entire Minglanilla town, and part of Naga town also experienced power shortage shortly before 3pm.
Meanwhile, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the power interruptions are exactly the reason why she has been pushing for additional power plants.
“That is exactly why I have been pushing for the installation of additional power plants that will supply our present and expected demand for the five to 10 years. We need the additional power to sustain and further boost Cebu’s growth,” Garcia said.
For her part, Cebu Sixth District Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz said there is a need for the two upcoming power plants to go on stream by 2010. She said efforts should also be made to tap renewable energy in the long term.
“With the rapid economic growth that Cebu is experiencing, we need more investments in the power sector,” Ruiz said. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)
"Fuel shortage" alarm transport group (The Freeman) Updated November 12, 2009 12:00 AM
CEBU, Philippines - The local transport sector has expressed alarm over the recent pronouncement of the Department of Energy and oil companies that the country may run out of fuel with the continued prize freeze of petroleum products in certain areas in Luzon.
“That is very alarming. Kung mahurot na ang atong fuel, wala nay mga sakyanan nga managan,” says Benjamin Ryan Yu, chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative.
CITRASCO is the biggest transport company in Cebu with 800 jeepneys and 200 taxis operating. CITRASCO alone consumes about 16,000 liters of fuel daily.
Yu, the president of the Cebu Conferederation of Transport Operators and Drivers Inc., said that if not dealt with, the fuel crisis will not only affect jeepneys, taxis and buses, but the shipping industry and truckers in the long run.
The 1- United Transport Koalisyon or 1- UTAK of which Yu also functions as vice president, already sent a letter to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for Malacañang to come up with contingency measures.
Yu said controlling the prices of fuel in general is good for the consuming public, but the government should consider other options considering that oil companies have already threatened not to import fuel as doing so would reportedly be disadvantageous to them.
Yu said 1-UTAK itself supports Executive Order 839, which placed the price freeze in place, but suggested that the government come up with a back-up supply should the oil companies make good of their threat.
Earlier, the Department of Justice recommended the partial lifting of EO 839 in selected areas in Luzon.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued the executive order following the damage brought about by the recent storms that struck the country.
Although oil prices in Luzon remained frozen at 15 October 2009 levels in compliance of the said EO, oil prices in Visayas and Mindanao areas moved according to price changes in the world market. These areas are not covered by the said EO, hence the true costs of the products based on the international price movements are reflected.
Small and big oil companies have since opposed the prize freeze because aside from fear of supply shortage, they will also incur huge financial losses.
Last Monday, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes announced that the country’s inventory of finished petroleum products would only last to up to 13 days. Still, the government remains unfazed by the threat.
Pilipinas Shell, one of the country’s biggest oil companies, already sought refuge with the Makati Regional Court on the issue. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2009 by
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved