Senator Lito Lapid highlights the potential of solar, wind, and wave power to address electricity shortages and frequent brownouts across the Philippines.
Senator Lito Lapid emphasized the significant contribution that utilizing renewable energy sources could make in addressing the ongoing issue of brownouts in Negros Occidental, Panay Island, and other areas across the country.
According to Lapid, it is imperative to enhance the utilization of renewable energy such as solar, wind, waves, and other sources.
In the midst of intense summer heat, Lapid pointed out that harnessing sunlight through solar panels could serve as a substantial supply to the power grid in a town or province.
“As a tropical country, the Philippines is fortunate due to its abundance of sunlight. What we need is more private companies investing in the solar industry to address the electricity supply shortage,” Senator Lapid emphasized.
During his visit to Bacolod City and Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, Lapid discovered the frequent occurrences of brownouts in Western Visayas due to the inadequate electricity supply from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
“We hope to avoid the brownouts that occurred in Iloilo from January to March 2024. Without electricity supply, there’s no business, no employment, and no income for our fellow citizens. Hence, a sufficient power supply is crucial for the stability and progress of the nation,” Lapid further stated.
Last Monday, April 8, President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. inaugurated the Cebu-Negros-Panay Backbone Project Stage 3 (CNP3) in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, which is expected to alleviate the brownout problem in Western Visayas.
“We support President BBM’s initiative to address the electricity shortage, not only here in Negros but across the entire Philippines. His move to further develop and strengthen the use of renewable energy sources amidst the ongoing El Nino phenomenon is commendable. Renewable energy generators should also be incentivized,” Lapid added.
Congressman Dino Yulo and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson also backed Lapid’s advocacy to bolster the use of renewable energy and assured that the province would welcome companies interested in investing in power generation.
The inaugurated CNP Phase 3 project has an overall capacity of 3,800 megaVolt Amperes (mVA) and consists of 442 circuit kilometers of new transmission lines, 98 circuit kilometers of submarine cables, and the construction of six new substations in Western Visayas.