Lawmakers want government to build power plants

MANILA, Philippines - Eight members of the House of Representatives are urging Congress to allow the government to again engage in electricity generation by building new power plants.

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 prohibits the state from constructing new plants, leaving power generation to the private sector. It also mandates the sale of all state-owned power plants.

In separate bills, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. and seven party-list representatives belonging to the Makabayan bloc called for amending the law to allow the government to go into power generation again to boost supply.

Rodriguez proposed that the state be permitted to build plants using renewable energy sources, while Makabayan members suggested that only plants run by water should be constructed.

They also want Congress to stop the sale of hydroelectric plants.

They made the proposal amid the tight power supply in Luzon and continuing periodic blackouts in Mindanao.

“This situation involves an issue of power generation,” Rodriguez said.

He said the supply shortage is the result of the inability of the private sector to cope with increased demand, which is an offshoot of economic growth.

He said since the economy is expected to continue growing, so will demand for electricity.

Thus, the need for the government to again go into power generation, Rodriguez stressed.