Parts of Luzon suffer rotating power outages

MANILA, Philippines - Parts of Luzon experienced rotating power interruptions lasting up to three hours yesterday due to supply deficiency brought about by the unavailability of some power plants, according to the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

Meralco started the manual load dropping, a way of rationing power, at 10:27 a.m., resulting in rotating blackouts of two to three hours in portions of Tutuban, Manila; Calumpit, Meycauayan, Marilao and Sta. Maria in Bulacan; Bacoor, Cavite; and Grace Park in Caloocan. Parts of Quezon City also experienced power outages.

The rotating power outages ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said the situation is expected to return to normal today.

The supply deficiency stemmed from the scheduled maintenance shutdown of the Ilijan natural gas power plant in Batangas, owned and operated by Kepco Philippines Inc. and which sources its supply from the Malampaya natural gas facility in offshore Palawan.

The Ilijan plant is one of the three natural gas plants supplying 30 percent to 40 percent of Luzon’s energy requirements.

“The Ilijan plant had to undergo pigging (pipeline inspection gauge) activities,” said Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga.

The pigging procedure also intends to eliminate accumulated deposits, which affect the overall productivity of the facility, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). The process will clean the nearly 15-kilometer pipeline of the plant, which originates all the way from the Malampaya platform.

The Calaca coal-fired power plant in Batangas also went on maintenance shutdown but went back online yesterday.

As a result of the supply deficiency, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines put the Luzon grid on red alert yesterday.

A red alert means there is severe power deficiency, while a yellow alert means reserves are below the minimum level set by the regulator. Yellow alert is reached when the total reserve is less than the capacity of the largest plant online. For the Luzon grid, this is usually equivalent to 647 megawatts, or one unit of the Sual power plant.

Augmenting the power supply deficiency was the government’s so-called Interruptible Load Program (ILP).

ILPs are generating units, which are the back-up capacity of all industries around the country such as malls.

“The ILP is in place so there’s less (blackout) in Meralco’s franchise area,” Petilla said.

Malacañang also assured the public yesterday that authorities were on top of the situation as the maintenance activities were ongoing.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB that authorities were closely monitoring the tight supply due to emergency maintenance.

“We do ask for the understanding of our citizens and their cooperation... We can take small steps to conserve energy over the weekend because that will help in managing the demand,” Valte added.

National emergency on power called

Despite the assurance from Malacañang, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday called for the declaration of a national emergency on power to prevent a possible massive displacement of workers due to the power crisis.

The TUCP also asked the Aquino administration to establish a multi-agency group to address the power crisis and protect workers from blackouts and rising electricity rates.

“All it takes is presidential courage to announce an emergency and the need for a national response,” the TUCP said in a statement.

The TUCP said the ASEAN integration in 2015 would require a clear energy roadmap to encourage foreign investors to pour their investments in the country and promote employment. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Aurea Calica