The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. should protect power consumers from volatility of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang said.

Ang said the Ilijan plant?operated by SMC subsidiary South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC) under an independent power producer administration (IPPA) contract, is a base load plant so its output must not be traded in the WESM to protect consumers.

?The Ilijan power station is used to continuously supply electricity to the grid including hours when the demand is high. If we sold to the WESM, small consumers would have to pay higher electricity bills. Even businesses, which are the largest consumer of energy, would suffer,? Ang said.

PSALM has been insisting on trading the output of the 1,200 Ilijan power facility on the country’s electricity spot market.