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Thursday, March 28, 2024

NGCP welcomes ERC’s proposed system audit on transmissions

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Grid operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines on Tuesday welcomed a proposed system audit by the Energy Regulatory Commission in accordance with the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

“NGCP has always been amenable to a government audit, so long as it is done by the independent quasi-judicial body authorized by law. Pursuant to the EPIRA, it is the ERC and only the ERC that is tasked to promulgate and enforce the Philippine Grid Code—a Code that governs the safe and reliable operation, maintenance and development of the National Grid,” NGCP president Anthony Almeda said in a prepared speech to the Senate.

Almeda, however, was unable to deliver the speech due to medical reasons. 

The Senate inquiry on the national security implications and operations of NGCP franchise was suspended due to his absence.

Almeda said the ERC was part of the government and that its audit was the only state audit prescribed by law.

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The Energy Department and National Transmission Corp. are pushing their own audit of NGCP’s operations.

“We cannot understand why TransCo and the DOE cannot respect the process prescribed by law,” Almeda said.

He said NGCP could not agree to the proposed comprehensive system operations audit demanded by the DOE and TransCo, adding the latter regularly conducts inspection of the substations and transmission assets nationwide.

“This regular periodic inspection is defined under Section 7.03 of the concession agreement which grants PSALM and TransCo the right “to inspect the transmission assets and witness any aspect of the performance of this agreement,” he said.

Almenda said TransCo would conduct another inspection this month. The physical inspection is apart from its access to NGCP’s books and financial records.

Meanwhile, on the participation of NGCP official Wen Bo and other Chinese nationals in NGCP, Almeda said their employment was allowed by the Constitution and applicable laws.   

“None of the foreign nationals previously employed by NGCP was an “executive” or “managing” officer of NGCP. While Mr. Wen carried the title Chief Technical Officer, the nature of his functions and the actual work he performed, indicates that he was not an executive or managing officer,” he said.

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