Power Crisis in the Loom! Again?

**4JGtootsie** · March 28th, 2012 09:27 AM

I just watched the news. Trillanes wants Almendras to resign because he cant convince the president
that there is a looming power crisis. Almendras warned the president as early as September 2010.
So what happened?

**wowiesy** · March 28th, 2012 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by 4JGtootsie

I just watched the news. Trillanes wants Almendras to resign because he cant convince the president
that there is a looming power crisis. Almendras warned the president as early as September 2010.
So what happened?

Daang matuwid? In what way?

Kung hindi naniwala si PNoy jay Almendras, does that mean wala siyang tiwala kay Sec? Kung wala tiwala, why keep him inthe Cabinet? Kilanfan sya for other functions?

**vinj** · March 28th, 2012 09:41 AM

Actually talks of a looming power crisis has been around for several years already. That's why you have the big companies such as Aboitiz, Ayala, First Pacific, SMC, etc. scrambling for power generation contracts since the GMA days.

**niky** · March 28th, 2012 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by vinj

Actually talks of a looming power crisis has been around for several years already. That's why you have the big companies such as Aboitiz, Ayala, First Pacific, SMC, etc. scrambling for power generation contracts since the GMA days.

Yup. We haven't had a massive investment in power infrastructure since Ramos. And if we go on a Ramos style spending binge, that will just mean we'll be paying for more expensive power, as we'll be saying "Yes" to a lot of overpriced supply contracts.

It's not like the administration is doing nothing. They're reviewing the plans to increase grid power, but the arguments are about what percentage of that power will be renewable. I remember watching an ANC panel discussion late last year in which they talked about the difficulty of opening up new power generation plants.

1. Bataan is still too politicized, especially after Fukushima.

2. Wind, lack of suitable sites close to big population centers.

3. Solar, expensive. Last I hear they've cut back MW projections for solar by over 60% because of this.

4. Hydro-... we are already heavily invested in this, thus a lack of new sites to set up stations.

5. Geothermal, too politicized. You have to go into mountains where there are disputes over land use with native tribes and environmentalists, and then you'll have to find a way to run lines through rebel country.

-

It's a difficult task. In the end, we might have to build more coal plants, which nobody really wants but which we can't afford to live without.

**4JGtootsie** · March 28th, 2012 10:03 AM

True! According to the president as early as thirty years ago noong highschool pa siya may possibling
problema na. Matagal na niyang alam. Why didnt he prioritize?

**shadow** · March 28th, 2012 10:27 AM

paikot-ikot pa eh...sabihin na kasi na noynoying lang ginagawa ni penot...

tapos ang usapan hinde na hahaba itong thread

**Monseratto** · March 28th, 2012 10:29 AM

Noynoying? I hope when they do find a solution, we won't be paying twice what we're paying for electricity now. But it would take 3 years for a plant to be built...

**vinj** · March 28th, 2012 10:50 AM

It's not solely a Noynoy issue here since the power crises has been looming well before Cory Aquino was diagnosed with cancer. I spoke with some of the smaller power producers a few years ago and one thing they pointed to the delays in rolling out power projects was the absence of clear cut policies on the part of the government for those who want to invest in the power sector at that time; why the hell will they put out money if cost inducing policy changes may be imposed at the 11th hour? One of the aggressive investors during the term of GMA was the Aboitiz group (who was aligned with that admin AFAIK).

To me, nuclear seems to remain the quite viable however after Fukushima, good luck to the next guy who'll try and bring up the idea once more. Wind power is still questionable a Niky pointed out as well.

Some new plants being made will be using coal AFAIK.

**111prez** · March 28th, 2012 11:00 AM

for me, we should NATIONALIZE the power industry, i.e. from generation to transmission to distribution

consumers suffer from brownouts while power industry executives worry about when they will be getting their latest model bmws or mercs

expect no sympathy from the current DOE secretary either

**CoDer** · March 28th, 2012 01:15 PM

Pwede namang banat ni PNoy ng quick fix dyan, pero prepare nga lang tayo sa more expensive power charges.

No more investor if that happens. Our power charges are already expensive as it is.