State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) is looking to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and other alternatives to speed up the electrification of rural and remote areas, which has still about two million households waiting for steady, reliable power services.
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong said the agency is exploring several strategies to light up the remaining sitios within the coverage areas of electric cooperatives (ECs) across the country that “remain in the dark.”
Among these measures, Masongsong said, include low-cost renewable energy technologies such as the PV mainstreaming or solar home system which targets mainly “off-grid” areas.
Of the 19,740 unenergized sitios across the country, NEA has identified 1,702 as “off-grid.” These are found mainly in Mindanao with 1,003 sitios, followed by Visayas with 557 sitios, and Luzon with 142 sitios.
Last August 14, Masongsong graced the gathering of representatives from NEA, the Department of Energy (DOE), LGU Guarantee Corporation (LGU-GC) and electric cooperatives (ECs) involved in the PV mainstreaming project under the European Union-Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (EU-ASEP) in Davao City.
In his message, the NEA chief said ECs should take advantage of the opportunities extended by financial institutions such as the World Bank to electrify the remaining unenergized sitios.
He also urged them to “think outside the box” to finance electrification of households given the limited subsidy from the government.
“The challenge now for electric cooperatives is if you do not want to give up your franchise area, or a portion of it, even the unviable locations that are still unserved, you have to invest. The way to fast-track electrification is to install solar home systems, to adapt PV mainstreaming,” Masongsong explained.
For 2019, the NEA has been given a budget allocation of P1.163 billion for its sitio electrification program, and another P165 million for its renewable projects, which include the installation of 5,000 solar home systems.
Solar PV mainstreaming
PV mainstreaming is a program of the DOE, funded by the EU-ASEP through the World Bank. The LGU Guarantee Corporation (LGU-GC) serves as program manager while the NEA acts as an implementing arm, being the supervisory body of all ECs in the country.
Pilot testing for the program’s first window included sitios under franchise areas of the North Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Cotelco), South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Socoteco II), Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Dasureco), and Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Sukelco). The pilot entails the installation of 10,000 solar home systems.
Dasureco General Manager Godofredo Guya said solar home system is a cheaper and more viable option to energize the communities that are too far from the power grid, such as Sitio New Mabuhay in Barangay Little Baguio, Malita.
Citing an example, Guya said “We’ve allocated 2,500 solar PV units for Barangay Little Baguio in Malita, Davao del Sur alone. With this solar home system there is no need for us to procure the right of way for our lines because there are no lines passing through the private properties of land owners.”
Power reaches Sitio New Mabuhay
The family of Myda Espinosa-Gunao, a resident of Sitio New Mabuhay, used to rely on kerosene lamps for their lighting needs. Things changed for Gunao’s family and her fellow residents when electricity finally reached their small village earlier this month.
The children can now study well at night under the glow of electric lights powered by solar home system, said Gunao, 48-year-old mother of seven. Having electricity also enable them to finish work and perform other household chores even after dark.
“Mabuti ‘yung merong solar kasi pati labas ng bahay naiilawan, at kahit may bagyo hindi namamatay ang ilaw namin. Hindi katulad noon lamparang de gaas kapag mahangin o may bagyo madaling namamatay,” she said.
Electrification data show 19,740 sitios in the country remain unelectrified. As of June 30, 2018, the NEA and its partner ECs have energized 1,801 sitios, bringing the number of sitios that do not have electricity down to 17,939. ###