Mindanao business sector clamoring for more power plants By: Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo, InterAksyon With government a few months away from a self-imposed deadline to end Mindanaos power crisis, businessmen from the region are clamoring for additional generating plants to sustain its growing economy. In a press conference today, Rey D. Billena, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) regional governor for Southwestern Mindanao, said the region still requires additional investments in the generation sector despite a bevy of coal plants set to be completed within the next few years. We know that is not yet enough to drive faster progress in industries in Mindanao. Youre driving investors [to] Mindanao, the 5 percent is not a realistic assumption. Putting up just 1 mall in Mindanao, the consumption of that mall is already 4 megawatts (MW), Billena, who flew in from Mindanao to drum up interest in PCCIs annual meet in the region, said. The 5 percent refers to the Department of Energys (DOE) energy demand growth forecast for the region. Among the coal plants that will be put up in Mindanao are Aboitiz Power Corps 300-MW and San Miguel Corps 1,200-MW projects in Davao del Sur; and FDC Utilities Incs 400-MW facility in Cagayan de Oro. The government is banking on the construction of the facilities to help ease the power crisis in Mindanao brought about by the regions reliance on aging state-owned hydroelectric facilities whose output is stunted during the summer months. Billena however said the three plants are not enough to address Mindanaos long-term requirements, as those facilities would hike the regions generating capacity from 1,200 MW today to 3,000 MW in four to five years, barely meeting projected demand for that period. Were looking at more investors [because] we are positioning Mindanao as sa gateway not only to the BIMP-EAGA but also to the ASEAN market, Billena said. The regions gross domestic product (GDP) growth accelerated from 4.2 percent in 2011 to 8.2 percent in 2012, outpacing the national average of 3.6 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively. In 2013, Mindanaos growth slowed down to 6.3 percent amid another bout of insufficient generation that had led to hours-long power interruptions. Billena said the Mindanao Development Authority however has projected the regions GDP will grow to 7.2 percent for the year. With the priming of Mindanao as the growth area for the Philippines, 7.2 percent is just conservative, he said. interaksyon/business/92680/mindanao-business-sector-clamoring-for-more-power-plants
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 10:08:35 +0000
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