11 state policies on electric power industry

It is the avowed policy of the Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001, to balance the interests of generators and suppliers on one hand and the public, on the other hand. In line with this, Section 2 of said law provides the basis for the grant and the lawful exercise of police power by the ERC, viz:SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State:

(a) To ensure and accelerate the total electrification of the country; 

(b) To ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power; 

(c) To ensure transparent and reasonable prices of electricity in a regime of free and fair competition and full public accountability to achieve greater operational and economic efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of Philippine products in the global market; 

(d) To enhance the inflow of private capital and broaden the ownership base of the power generation, transmission and distribution sectors; 

(e) To ensure fair and non-discriminatory treatment of public and private sector entities in the process of restructuring the electric power industry; 

(f) To protect the public interest as it is affected by the rates and services of electric utilities and other providers of electric power; 

(g) To assure socially and environmentally compatible energy sources and infrastructure; 

(h) To promote the utilization of indigenous and new and renewable energy resources in power generation in order to reduce dependence on imported energy; 

(i) To provide for an orderly and transparent privatization of the assets and liabilities of the National Power Corporation (NPC); 

(j) To establish a strong and purely independent regulatory body and system to ensure consumer protection and enhance the competitive operation of the electricity market; and 

(k) To encourage the efficient use of energy and other modalities of demand side management.