IN BRIEF

Win to ERC: Punish NGCP for delays

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to penalize the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for delayed transmission projects that adversely impact the country’s electricity supply.

“I strongly suggest to the commission to enforce fines and penalties so we can impose discipline on NGCP,” he said.

“We are not seeing discipline because a lot of projects are delayed,” added Gatchalian, referring to the delayed projects of NGCP that include backbone projects.

At a recent public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Energy chaired by Gatchalian, ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta disclosed that the completion of about 66 transmission projects is currently delayed, excluding six projects of national significance.

“The bottom line is that the projects are delayed and what are the penalties involved because we can’t just let this go,” she said. Macon Ramos-Araneta