DMCI EYES CHUNK OF NAPOCOR'S
SMALL POWER UTILITIES GROUP

From TheManilaTimes.net
by Euan Paulo C. Anonuevo
03 January 2012

DMCI Power Corp., the power generation arm of the Consunji Group, is keen on bidding for off-grid areas served by state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor).

Isidro Consunji, DMCI Power chairman, said that the power firm plans to bid for areas under Napocor's Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) that will be lined up in the auction block. read more

SENATE OK's PhP 6.39 BILLION
ADDITIONAL NAPOCOR BUDGET

From the BusinessWorld ONLINE
by Antonio Siegfrid O. Alegado
13 December 2011

THE SENATE yesterday approved on third and final reading a joint resolution seeking to add P6.39 billion to the National Power Corp.'s (Napocor) budget this year. This was seen as essential to allowing the state-owned firm to continue servicing off-grid areas and pay off debts.

In a unanimous vote, senators approved Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 13 paving way for President Benigno S. C. Aquino III's signing of the measure before Congress breaks for the holidays on Friday. read more

NAPOCOR EYES OFF-GRID PRIVATIZATION
TO LOWER POWER RATES

From TheManilaTimes.net
by Krista Angela M. Montealegre
22 November 2011

STATE-OWNED National Power Corp. will privatize four off-grid areas.

On the sidelines of the Philippine-Korea Business Forum, Department of Energy Secretary Rene Almendras told reporters that the agency has identified four Napocor-Small Power Utility Group areas for privatization, including Palawan, Mindoro and Masbate, which represent 40 percent of the total SPUG capacity.

The government is set to meet with interested parties next week for the SPUG sector.

Almendras said the House of Representatives has endorsed the supplemental budget for Napocor, on top of what was approved under the General Appropriations Act, to cover SPUG's fuel needs. read more

NAPOCOR BUDGET TO SUSTAIN
OFF-GRID AREAS ASSURED

From BusinessWorld Online
21 November 2011

STATE-OWNED National Power Corp. (Napocor) is assured of its supplemental budget to sustain electricity for off-grid areas as it awaits Senate decision following a recent Congress approval, the Energy chief said yesterday on the sidelines of a business forum

This comes as the Energy department begins studies to privatize two-fifths of the total capacity needed by small power utility group (SPUG) areas in a bid to cut down public costs to provide electricity in far-flung regions. read more

DOE, NPC AND NEA SIGN MOA ON ENHANCED
PSP PROGRAM IN EXISTING SPUG AREAS

11 November 2011

THE Department of Energy (DOE), National Power Corporation (NPC) and National Electrification Administration (NEA) recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the enhanced Private Sector Participation (PSP) in existing NPC-SPUG areas.

NPC President Froilan A. Tampinco, in his transmittal letter of the MOA to the DOE and NEA stated that, "The MOA creates a composite PSP Steering Committee to guide the DOE, NPC and NEA in studying, identifying and implementing policies, as well as, in formulating tender documents to accelerate the entry of New Power Providers in SPUG areas. The MOA delineates the responsibilities of each party and calls for the designation of key officials from the DOE, NPC and NEA in the proposed Steering Committee." read more

NAPOCOR RETIREES SOON
TO GET PENSIONS

(From The Manila Times.net)
By Euan Paulo C. Anonuevo

THE benefits of retirees and qualified separated employees of state-owned National Power Corp. have been restored, six months after state-run Government Service Insurance Sytem suspended them.

In a letter to GSIS, Froilan Tampinco, Napocor president, apprised the pension fund's President, Robert Vergara, of the SC decision in the case of Enrique U. Betoy vs. the Napocor board of directors, which clarified an earlier High Tribunal decision in the case of Herrera, et. al. vs. Napocor. read more

FIT RATES SYSTEM TO BRING DOWN
POWER PRICES IN MARKET - NREB

(From INQUIRER.net)
By Amy R. Remo
14 September 2011

MANILA, Philippines-The National Renewable Energy Board on Wednesday pressed for the imposition of the feed-in-tariff (FIT) rates, saying these could actually bring down the costs of power generation, contrary to allegations hurled against the scheme by various sectors and private companies.

In a briefing on Wednesday, the NREB said the recent study conducted by its technical working group showed that the entry of 200 megawatts of new RE generation could generate savings of as much as P3 per kilowatt-hour, or roughly P1.2 billion, in a month. read more

NAPOCOR READIES FIT RATES
FOR SPUG AREAS

(From BusinessMirror.com.ph)
By Paul Anthony A. Isla
13 September 2011

STATE-RUN National Power Corp. (Napocor) is preparing the final draft of recommendations that will determine the feed-in tariff (FIT) rates on renewable-energy (RE) projects among areas serviced by the Small Power Utilities Group (Spug), Napocor President Froilan Tampinco told reporters on Tuesday.

The deadline set for the completion of the new set of recommendations, according Tampinco, has been set this coming November. After Napocor is done with the final draft, the new set of recommendations will be submitted to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), he added. read more

NAPOCOR RENEWS BID
FOR OFF-GRID SUBSIDY

(From TheManilaTimes.net)
By Euan Paulo Anonuevo
01 September 2011

STATE-OWNED National Power Corp. is asking the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to reconsider a decision to slash the power rate hike it sought to subsidize off-grid areas in the country.

In a petition, Napocor said the ERC approved P0.07 per kilowatt-hour rate increase in the universal charge for missionary electrification component of consumers' power bills would not be enough to pay for off-grid operations.

Napocor said it "still requires a projected additional funds of [P6.35 billion] until the end of 2011 in order to sustain its operation and continuously pay guaranteed subsidy." read more

NAPOCOR SAYS OFF-GRID POWER PLANTS
TO GET P1.6-B INFUSION

(From the BusinessWorld Online)
01 September 2011

THE DEBT-SADDLED National Power Corp. (Napocor) has reportedly been granted P1.6 billion from the government's share in Malampaya natural gas earnings to continue funding off-grid power facilities.

"We got another shot in the arm, so to speak, from the national government: an additional P1.6 billion from Malampaya," Napocor President Froilan A. Tampinco yesterday told reporters in a chance interview.

This, as the government has a 10% stake in the Malampaya gas field extraction through state-run Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp. Napocor will receive the amount by today, Mr. Tampinco claimed. read more