Power supply tight this summer, says NGCP

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Power supply will be tight this summer when electricity consumption is usually at its peak, especially during the month of May, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said yesterday.

The NGCP said that based on its forecast, Luzon would need at least 8,654 megawatts for May, the highest power demand of the year.

The Visayas and Mindanao would need 1,554 MW and 1,400 MW, respectively.

For April, power demands for Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao are a little less at 8,504 MW, 1,526 MW and 1,362 MW, respectively.

“The supply will be tight, but (we) will be ready to transmit whatever power is available to the grid,” NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has urged the public to be prudent in using electricity this summer even as the sizzling weather is fueling higher demand for power.

Energy officials said the public’s cooperation is needed to achieve energy security.

In an advisory, the DOE said it is encouraging consumers to use fuel and electricity judiciously this summer and buy products that carry energy labels.

Yellow energy labels are mandatory on household air conditioners, household refrigerators, compact fluorescent lamps, linear fluorescent lamps, circular fluorescent lamps and ballasts.

“To reduce electricity bills associated with cooling your homes, look for a high Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) when buying a new air-conditioner. EER refers to the cooling efficiency of the unit,” the DOE said.

For refrigerators and freezers, the yellow energy guide bears the Energy Efficiency Factor (EEF) of the unit. For fluorescent lamps, the energy label indicates the light output in lumens (more lumens mean more light output), power consumption, lamp efficacy and average life.

Several power plants set for shutdown

Amid the tight power supply, however, several power plants are scheduled for shutdown this summer.

The NGCP said two power plant units in Luzon are scheduled for shutdown and another on forced outage this summer.

In the Visayas, two power plants will also be on scheduled shutdown and one on forced outage during the same period.

In Mindanao, one power plant is set for shutdown and two will be on forced outage during summer. Likewise, the high voltage direct current line linking Luzon (Naga City) and the Visayas (Leyte) will be shut down for maintenance on April 9-21.

The NGCP said these scheduled shutdowns and forced outages for maintenance purposes could cause power interruptions but not necessarily power shortage.

Despite the maintenance work, the NGCP gave assurance that the “grid is secure and able to handle the load (as) back-up lines are fully operational and ready to deliver available power from the generators.”

Earlier, engineer Alexander Alvarez, NGCP-Cagayan Valley head of maintenance and operations services, assured the public that there would be no power shortage in the Luzon grid, especially this summer when electricity consumption is expected to increase.

“We are more efficient than before. We will have no problem because we have a lot of power capacity,” Alvarez said, adding that the NGCP is regularly conducting maintenance and repair of its facilities to ensure a stable flow of power.

Blackout

However, the provinces of Quirino, Aurora and Nueva Ecija would experience a 10- to 11-hour power outage tomorrow to give way to repair works of power facilities owned and operated by the NGCP.

Lilibeth Gaydowen, NGCP North Luzon public affairs officer, said that the scheduled power interruption in Quirino from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow would enable the NGCP to conduct its annual preventive maintenance of facilities, including power poles and hardware.

The temporary power stoppage would also enable the NGCP to test and undertake corrective measures on its equipment at Cauayan City and Santiago City substations.

Meanwhile, five towns in Aurora and nine in Nueva Ecija will experience 11-hour power outages, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., “to facilitate replacement of selected wood poles, cross arms and insulators along Cabanatuan-Baler 69kVLine,” the NGCP said in an advisory. – With Iris Gonzales, Jess Diaz, Ding Cervantes, Edith Regalado