(PERIOD COVERING MAY 2009 TO OCTOBER 2009)

I. INTRODUCTION

The 15th Status Report of Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) Implementation covers the period May to October 2009, although updates for privatization for November 2009 was already included. It highlights continuing implementation of the reforms as set forth in Republic Act 9136 or through the sector’s efforts to hurdle the global financial crisis that affected major policy objectives particularly in terms oencouraging new investments in power generation. Fortunately, despite the challenges posed by the crisis, the government’s privatization efforts reaped considerable gains with the threshold in generating assets privatization reached at more than 80 percent and the success for the bidding of the first wave of NPP-IPP contracts privatization.

For the period May to October 2009, the government focused mainly in addressing issues relating to competition and has initiated activities towards harmonization of the EPIRA Law with the newly passed Renewable Energy (RE) Act.

Click to view Complete PDF File of 15th EPIRA Status Report 

(Period Covering November 2009 TO April 2010)

I. INTRODUCTION

The 16th Status Report of Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) Implementation highlights major accomplishments for the period November 2009 to April 2010. On the privatization, however, the report included developments as of May 2010. The past six months saw successes in the compliance to the remaining EPIRA set pre-conditions for the implementation of open access and retail competition. Also during this period, major reforms were implemented to improve the governance and operations of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market to include reconstitution of the Board of Directors governing the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation and the conduct of operational, technical, financial and legal audit to identify areas for improvement in the entire WESM operations and the preparation as well to the transfer to an Independent Market Operator. The period likewise marked near completion of the 100 percent barangay electrification target with only 99 barangays unenergized. On the regulatory aspect, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has promulgated new guidelines in the rate approval processes to address concerns on rate approvals.

Challenges in the reform implementation however remain particularly the threat to supply security experienced by the entire country in the light of the El Niño phenomenon that affected power production of hydroelectric plants, particularly in Mindanao and Luzon,coupled by some operational and technical problems in the three major grids. On positive developments, it is during the period when the private generating company, Cebu Energy Development Corporation, commissioned its first unit of the 3 x 82 MW coal-fired power plant in Toledo City, Cebu. The project is expected to augment the power supply problem in Visayas which has been experiencing rotating brown-outs since the last quarter of 2008.

Click to view complete PDF File 16th EPIRA Status Report 

(PERIOD COVERING MAY TO OCTOBER 2010)

I. INTRODUCTION

The 17th Status Report of Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) implementation covers developments for the period May to October 2010. This contains the changes in policy actions from the Arroyo regime to the Aquino Administration. The new Administration called for a review of EPIRA implementation particularly on the effectiveness of the privatization of the assets and contracts by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation, with the end in view of being able to pay-off its debts, encourage greater private sector participation, promote competition and most importantly, ensure supply security. This requires taking a few steps backward to ensure that the objectives set forth in EPIRA remains on track. It is deemed necessary to take a closer look at the role of the government in an environment of greater private sector participation in a utility industry which for so long has been under the control of the government and largely dependent on public funding support. In the process, the government has to put on hold the privatization of the remaining assets and contracts of PSALM/NPC.

The security of power supply in the country remains a major concern due to the timeliness of the entry of additional generating capacity, when and where they are most needed. Private investments in the generation business are still faced with various commercial, institutional and regulatory challenges, aside from the impact of climate change to the supply availability and demand predictabilility. There were also technical constraints in the operation of the national transmission networks, power plant operations and distribution systems.

The barangay electrification marked near completion with only 55 barangays or less than one percent remained unelectrified out of the 41,975 barangays nationwide. The next paramount task is to complete the sitios and the households connections. The Department of Energy (DOE) continued to improve the governance and operations of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) based on the recommendations of the independent auditors that reviewed the performance of the market. During this period, there was a renewed call from the generators for the government to implement the WESM in the Visayas and appoint the Independent Market Operator (IMO).

The review of the EPIRA implementation and identification of appropriate course of actions are the priority thrusts of the new Administration in the energy sector.

Click to View Complete PDF File of 17th EPIRA Status Report