No blackouts during summer – DOE

The Department of Energy (DOE) has assured the public of sufficient power supply during summer and the following months, citing the lesser consumption of the business sector due to the imposition of community quarantine.

- CECILLE SUERTE FELIPE

Mario Marasigan, chief of the DOE-Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, said there was less power consumption during the community quarantine.

“Based on our assessment, the consumption continues to decline. We will not be able to reach the projected 11,841 peak,” Marasigan said during a hearing of the joint congressional energy commission.

He said the only challenge is maintenance.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the joint commission, stressed the importance of having a stable power supply in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the rest of the country in the wake of the vaccine rollout being implemented by the government.

“We would like to hear from the DOE if power disruptions cannot be avoided and what are the contingency measures the DOE has in mind. On top of that, we also want to hear from the regulator – the Energy Regulatory Commission – what are the policies and resolutions to avoid these types of disruptions,” said Gatchalian, who presided over the hearing.