Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, and the presidents of the National Transmission Corp. Art Aguilar and National Power Corp Cyril del Callar, will meet with Negros Occidental officials Wednesday next week on what has been described as the worsening power situation in Western Visayas.

“We need to address the alarming power situation and come up with an action plan,” Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco said yesterday, in announcing the meeting.

Aguilar also confirmed the meeting to be held at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City May 7 with top energy and provincial government officials, congressmen, mayors, power cooperative officers and other stakeholders.

Reyes and top energy officials will make stops in Negros and Panay to discuss the situation with stakeholders amid concern raised by President Gloria Arroyo, Aguilar said.

Zayco, who is batting for clean energy use in the province amid the global warming problem, said plans should be in place to prevent power shortages that could cripple businesses and scare off investors.

“Government should not be reactionary, it should have a plan”, he said.

Constant brownouts will also destroy equipment and appliances in houses, he said.

Zayco said he has been informed that the  brownouts that Negros Occidental has been experiencing have been caused by maintenance work being undertaken at the Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plants in Negros Oriental.

Central Negros Electric Cooperative and the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative have signed contracts to purchase coal-fired energy from Kepco-Salcon in Cebu after 2010.

The proposed building of dams at the Bago River to generate hydroelectricity is a welcome development but will take some time  to take off, Zayco said.

Three firms have expressed interest in the project, which will not only provide electricity but also irrigation, flood control and potable water, he said.

The hydroelectricity generation will be undertaken by the proponents on a Build Operate and Transfer scheme, Zayco said.

The Bago River is estimated to be able to provide 70 megawatts of power.

Also being eyed for hydroelectricity is the Ilog-Hilabangan River but it appears that it will be easier to tap electricity in the Bago River, Zayco said.

A top energy official, who asked not to be identified, said the power shortage situation in Western Visayas is serious and he is surprised that residents of the area are not raising a fuss.

The brownouts you are experiencing now will get even worse in the future if no new power plants are built in the area soon, he said.

He said the constant opposition to power sources to address the problem will not help.

The Negros Occidental Sanggunian is being asked to concur with the Philippine National Oil Co. Energy Development Corp. bid to enter the buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park to tap more geothermal power.

The move is being opposed by the Diocese of Bacolod and some environmentalist concerned about biodiversity destruction the PNOC EDC entry into the buffer zone will cause.

Meanwhile, the Visayan Network on Climate Change, in coordination with the provincial government and the Philippine Network on Climate Change  is hosting a forum  on “Building a United Front Against Global Warming: A Roundtable Discussion on Climate Change Issues” at Sugarland Hotel tomorrow morning,  VNCC convenor George Sanchez said.*CPG

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