MANILA - A former Energy secretary has called on legislators to enact a law that will authorize the government to put up its own power plant for use during emergencies. 

Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla, who was energy secretary during the Aquino administration, said this plant can be operated during critical times like what happened last week when Luzon and Visayas were plagued with yellow and red alerts due to multiple shutdowns of power plants.

Petilla said the government, through the Philippine National Oil Company or other other energy-related agencies can construct a 500 to 1,000 megawatt power plant specifically designed for critical times when power supply is critical.

While the existing Electric Power Industry Act or EPIRA prohibits the National Power Corp from entering into power generation, Petill says the easiest way is to make a law to allow the government to own a generating facility.

BUSINESS OWNERS APPEAL TO DOE

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on DOE to keep them in the loop when it comes to developments in the energy sector.

PCCI chairman George Barcelon said it is businesses that are most affected in times of yellow and red alerts as the supply chain needs sufficient power to properly operate.

Barcelon is pushing for the entry of more coal plants to augment supply insisting that there are technologies to minimize the negative impact of such fossil fuel on the environment.