Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the switch-on of the 17.8-megawatt New Siquijor Diesel Power Plants, a move he said would end years of recurring brownouts in the island province.
Speaking at the Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative (PROSIELCO) in Larena on Friday, Marcos declared the island’s electricity supply sufficient to meet present and future demand.“I am confident in declaring that the power supply here in Siquijor is now sufficient,” he said in Filipino. “If the demand is nine megawatts, our supply is now 17 megawatts. There will be no shortage.”Marcos said the additional capacity has eased outages.“We have seen that the brownouts have been significantly reduced,” he said. “Only a few minor issues remain – probably system-related – but the supply is already stable.”The dependable capacity of the three plants reaches 12.25 megawatts, comfortably above the island’s peak demand of nine megawatts. The system also includes a 1.7-megawatt reserve margin and surplus capacity for contingencies.The projects include a 4.4-megawatt facility in Larena, a 6.6-megawatt plant in Lazi, and a 6.8-megawatt unit in Siquijor town.They were developed through the National Electrification Administration, PROSIELCO, Cebu Electric Cooperative I and III, and other stakeholders. Construction was fast-tracked after the Energy Regulatory Commission revoked the authority of Villar-owned Siquijor Island Power Corp. due to repeated violations and worsening supply problems.
Energy security
Officials said the plants will stabilize power, reduce outages, and support local growth by providing reliable electricity for households, businesses, hospitals and schools.Marcos visited Siquijor on June 11 to oversee efforts to resolve the island’s power crisis. He ordered authorities to act swiftly, a directive now fulfilled with the completion of the new facilities.
