SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (Facebook)

SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta took issue with what he described as the undue focus given to transmission company National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on the problem of costly electricity.

During the House Legislative Franchises Committee hearing Thursday, Jan. 23, Marcoleta highlighted that generation makes up 52 percent of the electricity cost, as compared to the NGCP’s three percent transmission cost.

“The main purpose of the hearing is to lower the cost of electricity. The cost share of NGCP in the entire electric bill is only three percent; 52 percent is still in generation, and 25 percent is in distribution," Marcoleta said.

"If we are serious in focusing our attention on reducing electricity rates in the country, let’s focus on which area takes up the larger share. Dapat sa generation tayo eh (The focus should be on generation),” he noted.

Marcoleta questioned Transco’s presentation during the hearing wherein it detailed the alleged economic impact of NGCP’s project delays and the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) failure to implement important provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001.

He says that Congress is better off ensuring the strict implementation of EPIRA if it really wants to pull down prices of electricity. 

“I think it is better for us to determine which performed better in relation to the grid performance, noong panahon ba ng Transco, o noong panahon na ng NGCP? (was it during the time of Transco or during the time of NGCP?)” Marcoleta asked.

“Bakit hanggang ngayon wala kayong regulations on aggregation? Bakit yung ating RCOA-  Retail Competition and Open Access hindi natin ipinatutupad? (Why up to now, you don't have regulations on aggregation? Why aren't we enforcing our RCOA?)

"This is where we can reduce electricity. Why are we focusing on the transmission which is only three percent?” he added. 

The veteran congressman suggested that the lower chamber investigate other issues such as Meralco and the systems loss of other electric cooperatives, which accounts for up to 20 percent of charges in the electric bill.

'Fake news'

In the same hearing, Paul Sagayo, president of Synergy Grid and Development Philippines (SGDP), dismissed as "fake news" the allegation that the Chinese had access to a "single red button" that can shut down the Philippine power grid. 

Rico Vega, NGCP chief technical officer, also denied this claim. “I confirm that there’s no push button anywhere that can black out the whole grid in the Philippines,” he said.

"China being able to put off the whole grid, that's fake news!" Sagayo said, adding to Vega's point.

Vega also clarified that NGCP’s supervisory control and data aquisition (SCADA) system was a secure, stand-alone, isolated system that isn't connected to any other network or the Internet. Being offline means that it cannot be hacked.

Philreca Party-list Rep. Presley de Jesus affirmed Sagayo and Vega’s claims. He stated that, as someone from the energy sector, a total shutdown was difficult to accomplish.

“Hindi madali magpatay o mag-shut off ng kuryente (It's not easy to kill or shut off electricity),” he said.