House Bill 8179 granting private firm Solar Philippines a 25-year PV mini-grid and transmission franchise across the Philippines passed through its third and final reading on Monday.
This procedural step allows the company's unit Solar Para Sa Bayan (SPSB) to set up these mini-grids undeterred by the incumbent franchises of rural electric cooperatives. The chamber approved the bill with 198 votes in favour, seven against, and one abstention.
Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis
Photovoltaics International is now included.
- Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
- In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
- Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
- Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
- Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
- Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual
Or continue reading this article for free
The Bill has come under heavy fire from both the utilities and other members of the solar community as documented by PV Tech when the Bill passed through its second reading last week, with some crucial changes.
SPSB plans to set up projects similar to that of its Paluan mini-grid completed earlier this year.
Korean utility Kepco recently entered the renewable energy space of Southeast Asia for the first time ever during a signing ceremony yesterday with Solar Philippines founder Leandro Leviste, for it to take a 38% stake in Solar Philippines Calatagan Corporation (SPCC), which operates a 63.3MW solar facility in Barangay Paraiso and Barangay Biga in Calatagan.
