Mindanao seen to have enough power by 2015

MANILA, Philippines - Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla sees enough power supply in Mindanao by 2015 because of new power plants that will come in.

He assured that Mindanaoans should not worry about the power situation because there would be more than enough power supply after 2015.

“What I am saying is that Mindanaons should not worry because they have more than enough supply,” Petilla told reporters.

However, he warned electric cooperatives not to over contract.

“I’m saying there is an oversupply but the problem with oversupply is that there is over contracting and when there is over contracting, there will be problems (of power cost),” Petilla said.

At least 800 megawatts of additional power for Mindanao are expected to come on stream by 2017, marking the end of the prevailing power crunch, he said.

He noted that the Aboitiz Group would be building a 300-megawatt plant in Davao while Alsons Consolidated Resources of the Alcantara Group will be putting up a 200-MW plant also in Mindanao.

Another company FDC Utilities Inc., through its FDC Misamis Power Corp. will be building a 270 MW plant in Misamis also by 2016.

San Miguel Global Holdings Corp., meanwhile, is also building a 600 MW coal-fired power plant in Davao, with an initial capacity of 150 MW.

Petilla said, in all, Mindanao would have an additional capacity of at least 800 MW by 2017.

However, the problem that remains is how to address the critical power situation at the moment.

Some power plants in Mindanao, for instance, have shut down for maintenance activities from July to December, according to data from the Department of Energy (DOE).

Last July, the 210-MW STEAG coal plant in Mindanao shut down for maintenance but is now back online.

Similarly, the Pulangi IV hydropower plant also had a scheduled maintenance shutdown on different dates from August to September, covering roughly 160 MW.

The Agus 6 hydropower plant is also scheduled to suspend its operations for preventive maintenance on different dates from August to December and which could affect 25 to 50 MW.