CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – Gov. Humerlito “Bonz” A. Dolor has requested the National Power Corp. (NPC) to immediately allow an Independent Power Provider (IPP) to connect to its 69 kilovolts (kV) transmission line as an immediate measure to solve the perennial power problem in the province.

Dolor has also asked the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to pass a resolution addressed to NPC approving the earlier request of East Paramount Energy Corp. (EPEC) to make a T-connection to the NPC’s 69 KV line.

EPEC is one of the IPPs awarded with a power agreement to supply 10 megawatts for the Oriental Mindoro power grid.

The NPC’s 69kV transmission line delivers electricity from power plants scattered in the province to all towns, city, and individual residences of member-consumers of Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO).

In 2024, ORMECO signed 15-year power supply agreements (PSAs) with six companies – DMCI Power Corp., RMS Technology and Waste Management, Green Force Energy Corp., Ormin Power Inc., Power Pioneer JW&D, and EPEC to produce a total of 57 MW for the whole province.

Engr. Humphrey A. Dolor, general manager of ORMECO, said the implementation of these new PSAs will eventually result to the phase out of costly Emergency Power Supply Agreements and lowering of electric bills by as much as 27 percent due to government subsidy.

Dolor in his speech during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Monday, June 1, said that despite the additional 57 MW, the province still experienced brownouts after the National Transmission Corp. (Transco), upon consultation with ORMECO, initiated load shedding resulting to rotational power outages due to problem on transmission connection.

Most of the plants are only connected to ORMECO’s 13.3 KV line which can only carry limited amount of electricity, said Gov. Dolor.

The 14-MW plant in Pinamalayan town, the biggest among the seven plants, remains hanging because the Energy Regulatory Commission has yet to issue its decision granting it authority to supply electricity.

The governor reported that all the IPPs have complied with his May 31 deadline to finish the setting up of their plants but the problem on transmission with the NPC facility remains a major challenge.

“The province only needs an additional 12 MW, if these new plants become fully operational, we can have enough supply of electricity until next year,” Gov. Dolor told Vice Gov. Antonio Perez Jr. and the SP.