ILOILO CITY: Mayor Jerry Treñas believes that the approval of ancillary services between the city's electric distribution utility and a power generator will be fast-tracked, considering the persistent power problem of the city.

"I think because of the present situation, the approval for the ancillary reserve requirements for the city, the agreement between More Electric and Power Corp. (More Power) and the Global Business Power Corp. (GBP) will be hastened," Treñas said on Monday.

More Power, the electric distribution utility of Iloilo City, and GBP, the leading independent power producer in the Visayas, are in negotiation for the ancillary supply of 60 megawatts.

Treñas said that in a meeting with representatives from the energy sector on March 25, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the city has to gradually shift to renewable energy.

"Secretary Lotilla is hoping that we would get additional power because we all know that the bias now is towards renewable energy," the mayor said.

Lotilla was represented by DoE Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevarra during the energy meeting in the city.

"He said solar, battery, diesel. Solar because it's renewable. Battery because whatever is generated from solar energy, we can use it in the evening, and diesel because we can automatically turn it on," he added.

Treñas highlighted the efficiency of diesel power plants compared to coal-fired ones on Panay Island, citing the former's quicker response time during system disturbances.

Earlier this January, the city government tapped a 60-kilowatt solar power system through the installation of 134 solar panels in the city hall. The solar power is expected to supply approximately one-third of its daily 200-kilowatt energy demand.

Following this, the city government has also applied for the net metering program of More Power.

Net metering is a result of the tripartite agreement of the city government with the Energy Regulatory Commission and More Power in August last year.

The agreement was forged to boost renewable energy technologies and cushion the impact of higher electricity rates in the area.