Luzon grid placed on red alert

MANILA, Philippines — Several areas in Luzon experienced power interruption yesterday after two power plants bogged down.

The Luzon grid was placed on red alert from 11 a. m. to 3 p.m. yesterday. A red alert status means there is severe power deficiency.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said available capacity was only at 9,083 megawatts while peak demand was expected to reach 9,051 MW.

The power situation was due to generation deficiency after the Pagbilao and Quezon Power Philippines Ltd. Co. plants went offline, Joe Zaldarriaga, Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) spokesman, said in a text message.

Zaldarriaga said the incident triggered Meralco’s automatic load dropping scheme. He said certain areas experienced power outages to help the grid recover.

However, TeaM Energy Philippines, the operator of Pagbilao, said the plant’s Units 1 and 2 were running and fully available until NGCP lines tripped.

“The unexpected shutdown ...of lines 1 and 2 of NGCP rendered us unable to deliver electricity to the grid,” the NGCP said in an advisory.

The grid’s status was downgraded to yellow alert from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. due to insufficient operating reserves.

A yellow alert status means contingency reserves are below the minimum level set by the regulator, but does not necessarily lead to power outage.

Zaldarriaga said a red alert status in areas serviced by Meralco was raised from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., “when demand was expected to be at its peak.”

A yellow alert was raised in areas serviced by Meralco from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Meralco said corporations and commercial establishments participating under the Interruptible Load Program used their generator sets to help prevent or minimize power outages.