The Davao Light and Power Company pressed for interconnection of power supply between Mindanao and the Visayas to ensure stable power commodity for both areas.
“At the end of the day, electricity demand in Mindanao will go up from an average of 6 to 8 percent going to 10 percent at the rate of investments; hence the interconnection will help despite the excess,” said Engr. Rodger Velasco, DLPC vice president for engineering.
Velasco said that it would be too late for everyone to search for having the capacity available from either Luzon or Visayas if nobody will put interconnection soon.
He said attributed to the excess in power supply to the rising demand for power .
Velasco pointed out that a proposal for the interconnection has already been laid down and it is now already under feasibility study.
In preparation for the interconnection, DLPC said that Mindanao has already adopted the wholesale electricity market system since both Luzon and Visayas regions are already practicing it.
Thru this, the excess power supply of more or less 700 megawatts will be utilized and renewable energy will be given priority in the market.
However, this system is not a guarantee that consumers will be enjoying a reduction in their electricity bill because of the generation rate.
“Generation and transmission costs are passed-on charges which the distribution utilities just collect and pay to the generating companies they get power supply from and to the transmission service provider,” DLPC Executive Vice President and COO Arturo Milan said.
