Filipinos look at alternative means to tackle possible power crisis

Global Business

Filipinos may suffer daily power outages if the government does not act fast enough to solve a looming energy crisis. The length of the outages could range from several minutes to several hours according to at least one energy company. Many are preparing for the worst. CCTV’s Barnaby Lo filed this report from Manila.

Highlights:

  • The energy reserves in Philippines are at a dangerously critical level.
  • Aside from the lack of infrastructure, scheduled maintenance and unscheduled power plant shutdowns and the El Niño phenomenon are expected to cause daily outages of up to three hours, especially in provinces north and south of Manila.
  • A proposed solution – known as the interruptible load program – will tap the ability of big businesses, like the SM Malls, to generate their own electricity.
  • Solar panels such as those installed on top of this sprawling carpark building in the biggest mall in the Philippines can generate up to one and a half megawatt of electricity.
  • The electricity it produces is enough to power the mall’s 16,000 lights, 20 elevators and close to 60 escalators.
  • Sales of solar panels in this electronics market in Manila have in fact soared in the last few weeks.