Napocor completes rehab of key hydropower plants

MANILA, Philippines - State-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor) has completed the repair of a key hydropower plant in Mindanao more than a week ahead of schedule.

The return of the Pulangi IV hydropower plant in Bukidnon to normal operations will increase available electricity in the power crisis-hit Mindanao, officials said.

“Napocor successfully completed the rehabilitation of the Pulangi IV hydroelectric power plant on May 8, or nine days ahead of the original target date of May 17, boosting prospects that the tight power supply situation in Mindanao will soon normalize,” Napocor said in a statement.

Unit 1 of Pulangi IV was energized at 3:02 p.m. of May 8 while Unit 2 went on-line at 5:15 p.m. and the third and final unit at 6:38 p.m., data from Napocor’s Mindanao Generation Group showed.

Given the repair, Pulangi IV produced 150 megawatts (MW) as of yesterday morning, which is expected to increase to as much as 250 MW during the evening peak hours, Napocor said.

On April 17, Napocor shut down Pulangi IV for the emergency repair of the plant’s 9.5-kilometer headrace channel and surge pool, as well as the preventive maintenance servicing of the three turbine generator units.

Napocor spent P7.11 million for the rehabilitation, which was the first time that the 255-MW power plant underwent major repair works since it started operations in 1986.

Additional output from Pulangi IV will increase available electricity in Mindanao.

“The Pulangi repair significantly improves available generation capacity to meet the demand requirements of Mindanao,” Energy Undersecretary Josefina Patricia Asirit said in a text message.

The energy department earlier said its circular lowered the power supply deficit in Mindanao.

Data from the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines showed that there is a 197-MW deficit in Mindanao, which needs 1,276 MW during peak hours. But this is lower than the previous months’ supply gap of 360 MW, which resulted in two to four hours of blackouts since January.

Napocor president Froilan A. Tampinco said the repair of the 26-year-old power plant was completed earlier than scheduled due to joint efforts of Napocor operations personnel and contractor Mamasar Construction.