POWER DEMAND in Iloilo City is expected to grow 6-8%, driven by the growth in business activity, according to MORE Electric and Power (MORE Power).
鈥淲e鈥檙e having a peak of about 132 megawatts this year, that鈥檚 our projected (demand) and that鈥檚 about 9% higher from last year,鈥 MORE Power President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Z. Castro told reporters last week.
鈥淚f the trend continues and barring any other problems, we鈥檙e looking at between鈥 6-8%,鈥 he added.
Mr. Castro said business process outsourcing (BPO) is driving power demand growth, followed by services also powered receiving a boost from BPO investment.
鈥淩ight now, it鈥檚 still really the BPOs and allied services because (the industry creates) demand for food, transportation, housing, and so on,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 really making things happen in Iloilo.鈥
Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo P. Tre帽as said that the city鈥檚 economy is growing by 9.6%, resulting in demand for additional baseload power.
鈥淲e have not (needed to) increase our real property taxes in 18 years because what was needed for the additional services was provided by the businesses coming in,鈥 Mr. Tre帽as said.
Among highly urbanized cities outside Metro Manila, Iloilo City had the fourth-highest gross domestic product (GDP) growth per capita, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Mr. Tre帽as said that the local government is talking to possible investors for a baseload plant in the city.
鈥(Energy) Secretary (Raphael P.M.) Lotilla is encouraging solar plus battery plus diesel, and maybe later on liquefied natural gas because there鈥檚 a moratorium on coal,鈥 he said. 鈥 Sheldeen Joy Talavera
