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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Microgrid systems to ensure total electrification by 2022 - Gatchalian

Microgrid systems to ensure total electrification by 2022 - Gatchalian

Published Sep 16, 2021 09:11 am

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he is upbeat there is still hope that the country can achieve total electrification of all households by 2022.

This was after the Senate passed on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 1928 or the proposed Microgrid Systems Act on Monday, September 13. The bill seeks to accelerate the total electrification of the country by allowing private firms a clear path on how they can participate in providing power to unserved and underserved areas.

Gatchalian said the bill is meant to address the legal gaps as well as policy gaps in terms of the nationwide total electrification program of the government.

“The Department of Energy’s (DOE) self-imposed 2022 deadline is fast approaching. It is a daunting task indeed but it can become significantly more feasible with the passage of this legislation,” Gatchalian said.

“By 2022, hopefully, lahat ay mayroon nang kuryente sa kani-kanilang mga bahay dito sa bansa (each household in this country will have power),” said the senator, who chairs the Senate committee on energy.

“This is a tall order considering that we are an archipelagic country and that’s why the committee sees it fit to use new technology and innovative technologies such as the microgrid and the use of private capital to reach total electrification by 2022,” the lawmaker added.

Gatchalian said he remains optimistic that the bill would be ratified by the Senate and House of Representatives before Congress adjourns the 18th Congress.

“A miniature-scale version of a large main grid, the microgrid systems are well-suited to electrify unserved and underserved areas in the absence of main grid connection or insufficiency of supply due to specific reasons related to quality of service,” Gatchalian explained.

The bill identifies underserved areas as those that do not enjoy 24-hour access to electricity due to various reasons, while the unserved are those with no electricity access at all.

Under the measure, the microgrid systems providers (MGSPs) would be allowed to operate in areas where households have no electricity access or where the power connection does not provide 24/7 electricity supply.

“One of the goals of this bill is to clearly identify the processes and reduce red tape so that we employ and encourage the private sector to come in, use private capital and help the government to roll out its total electrification plan,” the senator stressed.

Related Tags

Department of Energy (DOE) microgrid systems total electrification Sherwin Gatchalian Senate Energy Committee
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