Marinduque Power Situation: So what happens when the campaign starts?

Note the following item on mb.com.ph (Manila Bulletin).

Power consumers, should perhaps be prepared as to what could eventually happen after the three-month lease contract stated therein between Napocor and Cummins Sales and Service Phils. Inc. on a modular genset for the 4.0MW Plant in Bantad, Boac, said lease contract having commenced in December 2009.

Are we going to experience continued power interruptions becoming more pronounced at the start of the campaign period and all throughout the election period as load shedding is perfectly timed and controlled by the Napocor-Marelco tandem?

"NPC bids out modular ‘genset’ requirements for various Luzon plants (By Myrna M. Velasco, December 31, 2009)

State-run National Power Corporation (NPC) has auctioned off to prospective suppliers its proposed lease of modular gensets for various power plants in Luzon.

The company has categorized the lease transaction in three schedules – with Schedule I set for the 17-megawatt Calapan diesel power plant; Schedule II for the 5.0-MW Irawan facility and Schedule III will be for the 10-MW Masbate diesel power plant.

The transaction’s approved budget cost was P621.677 million; broken down as follows: P305.122 million for Calapan; P98.169 million for Irawan and P218.385 million for Masbate facilities.

The bid opening date was concluded December, however, the award process will only be undertaken after evaluation of the submitted tenders.

In the company’s list of pre-qualified bidders were Aggreko, Cummins Sales, Monark, Apac Energy Rental and Fabmik.

In the tender notice, NPC indicated that the scope of works to be completed by the successful bidder shall be on: the lease of modular diesel generating units, testing and commissioning as well as site development, when required.

The additional task set for the selected supplier will be on the operation and maintenance of the units, mobilization/transportation, supply of spare parts, installation and tapping of the existing transmission lines and other plant appurtenances and other related work activities as stipulated in the technical specifications.

The NPC auction terms provide that “bidders must have completed a similar contract with a value of at least 15-percent of the ABC within the last 15 years.”

The state-run power firm just recently awarded to Cummins Sales and Service Phils Inc., through negotiated procurement, a lease contract on another modular genset for the 4.0-MW Boac diesel power plant in Marinduque.

The winner’s bid cost was P13.075 million for duration of three months starting December 2009.

NPC noted that the lease of the genset is highly necessary “to augment the present capacity of NPC’s aging plants in Marinduque and to avoid daily load shedding due to power shortage.”

It further noted that it opted to enter into a negotiated procurement in accordance with the revised implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Law."