NGCP exec sees better months ahead for Mindanao power despite El Niño

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) yesterday said it was seeing better months ahead for Mindanao’s power sector despite the anticipated effects of the El Niño phenomenon that has been forecast to intensify towards year-end.

Engr. Eugene Vicar, head for NGCP’s Mindanao System Operations, told participants to the Mindanao Power Situation Forum at the Xavier Sports and Country Club here that the situation is expected to significantly improve next year because Mindanao would be generating nearly 1,000 megawatts more.

The additional power would be added to the Mindanao grid starting on January 2016 with 100 mw from the Southern Mindanao Coal-fired Power Plant Unit 1 in Sarangani, he said.

By March 2016, Vicar said the Therma South Coal-fired power Plant Unit 2 in Toril, Davao City, would produce an additional 150 mw. About the same time, he said, the Malita Coal-fired power plant would produce 150 mw more, and the Lake Mainit Hydro power plant would generate 25 mw while the LPC biomass power plant would contribute 10 mw more. Vicar said the FDC Misamis Oriental coal fired power plant would initially generate 135 mw by April, and then add another 135 mw in July 2016.

He said 150 mw from another coal-fired plant in Malita, Davao Oriental would be added to the grid by August 2016, and by October, FDC would generate another 135 mw.

Presently, Mindanao’s power-generation capacity is only 1,300 mw. Some 437 mw are produced by the National Power Corp. while the rest are generated by independent power producers.

Vicar said the El Niño would likely extend up to June 2016 based on the forecast of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) but the additional power that would be generated by the private power producers next year would be sufficient to cushion its impact on hydroelectric power generation in the Mindanao grid. (nitz arancon)