MALACAÑANG is looking at Jose Ibazeta, president of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., to replace Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes once the later decides to run in the May 2010 elections, industry sources said.
Ibazeta has been president of PSALM since February 2007 and is credited with the successful privatization of National Power Corp.’s power plants.
The source said Napocor president Froilan Tampinco would move back to PSALM once Ibazeta’s appointment is confirmed.
Malacañang is also eyeing senior vice president Pio Benavidez to replace Tampinco in Napocor. Benavidez is part of a government team studying the revival of nuclear energy through the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
Tampinco was the vice president of PSALM before replacing Cyril del Callar as Napocor president.
Reyes’ camp was mum on whether he would run for mayor of Taguig. But the secretary would have to file for his certificate of candidacy with the Commission on Elections by Dec. 1 if he would run for public office.
PSALM officials said they have not received communication from Malacañang on Ibazeta’s appointment.
Reyes was the Environment secretary when he replaced Rafael Lotilla who resigned as Energy secretary in July 2007.
PSALM has privatized 3,072 megawatts or 81 percent of Napocor’s assets in Luzon and Visayas, generating $2.99 billion in revenue.
The agency in August successfully sold Napocor’s contracted capacities from the Sual and Pagbilao power plants in Pangasinan and Quezon, respectively, which translates to 34.3 percent of the fifth open access precondition or the turnover of 70 percent of Napocor’s contracted capacities in Luzon and Visayas.
