NGCP on red alert as power plunges

By NITZ ARANCON Correspondent
and KRISTIAN DAVE ACHONDO, Desk Editor

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) yesterday went on red alert as Mindanao’s power supply deficiency plunged to its lowest level so far this year following the bombing of two of its towers in Marawi City, and the preventive maintenance shutdowns of two independent power producers.

In its power situation outlook as of 1 pm yesterday, the NGCP reported a –79-mw deficiency vis-à-vis a system capacity of 1,357 mw and a system peak of 1,436 mw.

But information from various sources in the Mindanao power industry indicated that the situation could be worse, and pointed to a 335-mw deficit.

Edna Putian Diango, spokesperson of the Misamis Oriental I Rural Electric Service Cooperative (Moresco I), said Mindanao had a 80-mw deficiency this week after the preventive maintenance shutdown of a geothermal plant in Davao.

Diango said this was aggravated by Thursday night’s bombing of two towers of the NGCP. (See related story on column 4, page 1)

Elizabeth Ladaga, an NGCP spokesperson, said the bombings isolated at least 150 mw from the Mindanao grid.

Ladaga said NGCP’s technical people issued the red-alert advisory.

Add to this is the scheduled preventive maintenance shutdown of one of the units of the coal plant of Steag State Power Inc. in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, according to Diango.

Jerome Soldevilla, Steag spokesperson, confirmed that the preventive maintenance shutdown of one of its two 105-mw units but said it would start today until Nov. 2.

Soldevilla said Steag has been operating at full capacity especially in the past weeks to help at easing the power supply volatility in Mindanao. He said the firm has to shut down one of its units today “as planned and scheduled.”

“This was coordinated and confirmed early this month with the grid operator NGCP,” said Soldevilla.

“We will do our best to complete the (preventive maintenance shutdown) as scheduled, and restore the unit back to the grid on before Nov. 2,” he said.

The Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. Inc. (Cepalco) yesterday announced the extension of four hours of daily rotating blackouts in the city and parts of Misamis Oriental for two more days. The third advisory released by Cepalco this week, covering Oct. 30 and Oct. 31, said the blackouts were due to the continuing power shortage in Mindanao.

Marilyn Chavez, Cepalco spokesperson, said NGCP reduced Cepalco’s hourly power allocation from 73 mw to 55 mw after the Marawi bombings.

“Our normal load is about 158 mw, and then we have about 50 mw from our IPPs (independent power producers), hence, a shortage of around 53 mw,” Chavez said.

She said 43 mw of the 50 mw generated by IPPs come from Minergy, Cepalco’s sister company.

Chavez feared that Cepalco’s power allocation would continue to drop and result in longer blackouts following the reduction of the allocation from 73 mw to 55 mw as of 11 am yesterday, and from 55 mw to 49 mw as of 4 pm.

Cepalco’s latest advisory for Oct. 30-31 shows that the three groupings, and schedules of the blackouts remain the same, and would be implemented until further notice.

Group 1 include the greater portion of Carmen, Upper Carmen, Kauswagan, Bulua, Iponan, a large portion of the city proper, Camaman-an, Bolonsori in Camaman-an, Cogon and JR-Borja extention up to “Galaxy”in Gusa. People in these areas can expect blackouts from 5 pm to 9 pm.

Blackouts can be expected from 9 am to 1 pm in Group 2 areas that include some parts of Villanueva, Jasaan, Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental, Bugo, Puerto, Agusan, Tablon, Malasag, Gusa, Lapasan, Nazareth, Macasandig, Tambo, Tibasak, Mandumol up to Taguanao, Upper Balulang, PN Roa, and all of Lumbia.

People in Group 3 areas can expect blackouts from 1 pm to 5 pm. The areas are Bonbon, Bayabas, Patag, NHA Phases 1 and 2, RER Phase 1 and 2, all of Barangay Consolacion, all of Macabalan, and some parts of Agora.

“Ang atong power requirements sa franchise area sa Cepalco 157 mw. Ang i-allocate, starting 4 pm (yesterday), sa NGCP 49 mw nalang imbis 72–meaning, na-ay 108 mw nga wala ma-supply sa NGCP. Pero na-a may atong 50 mw nga kaugalingong power production sa Minergy, Kabulig ug Bubunawan hydro power plants. Bo-ot ipasabot nga 58 mw pa gihapon ang power shortage sa atong franchise area.  Dako na gyud kaayo kana nga kulang,” Chavez said. (with reports from hussein macatoro)