Big power users urged to conserve energy

MANILA, Philippines - The government has urged big power users to conserve energy to help augment the power needs of the calamity-stricken Visayas region.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla has called on large power-consuming establishments to reduce their electric consumption by using energy-efficient methods such as lessening the use of air-conditioning and unplugging unnecessary electrical equipment.

Petilla made the same appeal to all power consumers in Luzon as well as in the Visayas to be able to provide ample supply of power in the Visayas after Super Typhoon Yolanda caused major damage to energy facilities.

“Not only will you save on electricity, you are also saving your fellow Filipinos in the Visayas,” Petilla said, adding that “any reduction in demand in Luzon will mean added available capacity to supply the Visayas grid.”  

Since Nov. 8, the Visayas grid lost an average of 500-megawatts with the non-operation of the Unified Leyte geothermal power plants.

Luzon is expected to share power to the Visayas through the Ormoc-Cabacungan 350-kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) line, which interconnects the two grids.

Based on the power outlook of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), Visayas’ power supply will not be sufficient to support its demand. NGCP is the company managing the country’s transmission lines.

NGCP has projected that on Nov. 25, available capacity for Visayas will  be at 1,118 megawatts (MW) as against its system peak of 1,149 MW.

On the same day, Mindanao will have a thinner reserve of 1,400 MW versus its demand of 1,329 MW.

The Luzon area, on the other hand, will have sufficient power supply of 8,355 MW with system peak demand of 7,237 MW.

Petilla said the energy conservation efforts must be observed amid the boost in energy demand and consumption during the holiday season.