PH, Japan sign agreement on power efficiency
Filipinos can look forward to getting more value for their money when it comes to electricity, as the Philippines and Japan have inked a deal that would improve power efficiency in the country.
Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi and deputy director-general of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Kazuhisa Kobayashi both signed a letter of intent for the technical cooperation between the two nations at the Japanese prime minister’s office in central Tokyo.
The agreement will upgrade electric infrastructure and power generation efficiency in the Philippines, according to a statement by the Department of Energy (DOE) on Friday, June 22.
Cusi said that Japan’s technical assistance “is needed for Filipinos to get more value for their money, in terms of investment, energy development, and utilization.” He also added that the agreement should contribute in the efforts towards energy efficiency.
The DOE further explained that the technical cooperation entails identifying issues and remedial measures based on Japanese knowledge and experience, as well as institutional arrangements for installing facilities with reliable performance.
The deal provisions for training the Philippine government and independent power producers to improve the operations and maintenance of existing thermal power plants, and enables the sharing of rehabilitation diagnosis results achieved through the action plan.
The program is based on a study by METI on the Philippine supply-demand outlook, disaster resiliency, electrification rate, and current electricity tariff. It also complements the department’s performance assessment and audit of power generation, transmission, and distribution systems and facilities.
via Business World / Victor V. Saulon
