Data deal boosts energy governance

The Department of Energy (DoE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) have signed a Data-Sharing Agreement to enhance policy development, market oversight, and decision-making in the local energy sector.

Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla and ERC chairperson and CEO Monalisa C. Dimalanta signed the agreement on Monday. The agreement facilitates the secure and real-time exchange of critical energy data between the two agencies.

The partnership aims to improve regulatory oversight, policy development, and responsiveness across the energy value chain through coordinated data-sharing mechanisms. It also mandates robust data security protocols to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of shared data from collection to storage.

“This data-sharing agreement would enable a better data exchange to address the complex and evolving challenges in the energy sector,” Lotilla said.

“By enabling secure and timely access to reliable data, we strengthen our capacity to craft smarter energy policies, deliver better public services, and respond decisively to the needs of consumers and stakeholders.”

Better regulatory processes

Dimalanta emphasized the agreement’s role in improving the ERC’s regulatory processes: “Data is at the core of responsive regulation. This Agreement allows the ERC to assess system performance better, anticipate emerging issues, and design regulatory interventions that truly reflect conditions on the ground.”

“More importantly, this institutionalizes a culture of openness and cooperation essential to achieving our shared goal of delivering reliable and affordable electricity to all Filipinos,” she added.

The data-sharing initiative will cover key areas in the electric power industry and renewable energy development, including power generation, grid integration, transmission development, distribution systems, market operations, off-grid electrification, and the ER 1-94 program benefit-sharing mechanisms.