The state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has approved the list of independent power producers (IPPs) bidding for the 149-megawatt contracted capacity of the Naga power plant complex in Cebu. PSALM president Emmanuel Ledesma said, “We’re hoping to conduct the bidding before the year ends to meet the last precondition for the implementation of open access and retail competition in the electric power industry." The Naga power plant complex is composed of:
the 55-MW Cebu power plant complex I; the 55-MW Cebu power plant complex II, and the 39-MW Cebu diesel power plant. PSALM has already bid out 68.22 percent of the total contracted capacities in Luzon and Visayas. It has also sold 91.37 percent of the total generating capacities of both regions. The successful bidding of National Power Corporation's (NPC) contracted and generating capacities in Luzon and Visayas are the two main preconditions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 to pave the way for open access. Open access is expected to bring down power prices for industries and commercial users. Ledesma pointed out that he wants to review PSALM’s previous bidding procedures. “I'm not saying that anything was done wrong in the past or that there was anything wrong with the [bidding] procedures in the past. I also just want to review and see if there are ways we can do things better," Ledesma said. He also welcomed the creation of a technical working group to audit PSALM’s operations. “It seems like there are lots of questions regarding previous transactions or previous privatization or questionable deals or anomalies. We are in the process of looking into things," Ledesma said. — JE/VVP, GMANews.TV 
GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
