Solon asks DOE to speed up microgrid plan

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian asked the Department of Energy over the weekend to fast-track the development of microgrids to meet the country’s goal of total electrification.

Gatchalian said the development of microgrids is necessary for the government to achieve full electrification of unserved and underserved areas.

“Microgrids are a critical infrastructure for the electrification of our rural communities. The Department of Energy should undertake steps to further expedite the development of microgrids to help propel the electrification of unserved and underserved areas,” said Gatchalian, the principal author of Republic Act No. 11646 or the Microgrid Systems Act of 2022.

The Department of Energy (DOE) concluded the first round of competitive selection process (CSP) and awarded the development of microgrid systems in eight unserved areas in Cebu, Quezon and Palawan to the Maharlika Consortium.

The consortium will provide electricity services to the said areas 24/7. The DOE targets to conduct a second round of bidding within the year.

“The DOE must persist in its efforts to advocate for the implementation of microgrids in areas that lack access to reliable power and are underserved,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian cited data from the 2020 survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) where 27.6 porcent or 479,029 households in missionary areas were still without electricity.