THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) will identify priority economic zones where Primelectric Holdings, Inc. (PHI) could study the viability of establishing electricity distribution systems, as the agency seeks to strengthen power reliability in areas hosting or attracting investors.
Peza and PHI, a company under the Razon Group, signed an agreement recently to explore the development of power distribution systems within Peza economic zones.
Under the agreement, Peza will determine the priority ecozones for assessment, while PHI will evaluate the feasibility and operational viability of providing distribution services in the selected areas.
The arrangement is intended to determine where dedicated power-distribution systems could be viable, particularly as reliable electricity remains a key consideration for industrial and commercial investors.
PHI will draw on its power-distribution experience through its units MORE Electric and Power Corp., Negros Electric and Power Corp., and Bohol Light Co. Inc.
Energy security has also emerged as a government priority amid efforts to support industrial activity and attract new investments.
For Peza Director General Tereso Panga, reliable electricity is increasingly an investment consideration rather than simply a utility issue.
‘Energy reliability is no longer just a utility concern-it is an investment concern,’ Panga said in a statement.
He said the partnership could help Peza ensure that its economic zones have adequate power infrastructure as new areas are developed.
‘By working with an experienced distributor like Primelectric, we are not just securing our own zones, we are also contributing to the bigger national goal of a more resilient and reliable power system, wherever in the country our ecozones may rise,’ Panga said.
The agency aims to give investors greater certainty over power availability when they consider locating operations in Peza zones.
‘We want investors to know that by the time they are ready to commit, power will be one less question they need to ask,’ he added.