TAGUIG CITY - Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has directed all Generation Companies (GenCos) and other power stakeholders to ensure reliable and stable electric power supply during the government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout. This complements the earlier directive to the Distribution Utilities issued on 16 February 2021 for the same purpose. 

Secretary Cusi’s directive was contained in an advisory dated March 2, 2021. Aside from the GenCos, it also covered Government Owned and Controlled Corporations as well as private sector-operated and/or owned generation facilities. 

“The DOE is working non-stop to establish an uninterrupted supply of electricity services at the onset of the vaccine rollout by the end of Q1 of 2021. We have been meeting with the members of the energy family to fortify our strategies,” Secretary Cusi underscored.

In the advisory, the Energy Chief ordered all GenCos and the other members of the Energy family to provide necessary support for COVID-19 vaccine cold storage and health care facilities through ensuring the availability of their power plants at their maximum dependable capacity. 

He also reminded the GenCos to comply with the 2021 Grid Operating and Maintenance Program and update their emergency response protocols and Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) to include utmost prioritization of the vaccines' cold storage and health care facilities in cases of power outages.

For the hydroelectric power plants, management of the water reservoir should be observed to maintain its optimal production, Secretary Cusi said. 

GenCos are also required to secure adequate fuel supplies and maintain reasonable fuel inventories. 

However, should there be a need to deploy power generating sets and additional backliners, Secretary Cusi said GenCos should be ready to coordinate with concerned Local Government Units regarding the locations/stations of the vaccines’ cold storage facilities. 

###