Visayas grid experiences 220-megawatt power shortfall

CEBU, Philippines – The Visayas grid experienced a shortfall in power during peak hours the other day due to a zero contingency reserve and generation deficiency.

Belinda Canlas, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) corporate communications officer for the Visayas, said the grid experienced a deficit of up to 220 megawatts (MW) during weekday peak hours with the shutdown of three power plants in the grid.

These are the 50-MW Cebu Thermal 1 Plant, the 50-MW gas turbines of Salcon Power, and the 120-MW Mahanagdong geothermal power plant in Leyte.

Canlas said the first two plants are under preventive maintenance shutdown to make way for maintenance work or repair, which will improve their facilities and services.

She said Unit 2 of the Mahanagdong plant is expected to be back on the grid on Feb. 8, and its Unit 1 on Feb. 16.

The Cebu Thermal 1 Plant, on the other hand, will be available starting Feb. 23 yet.

To reduce the impact of power interruptions to customers, Canlas said the Luzon grid started augmenting its supply to the Visayas grid from 70 MW to 100 MW Monday morning. At 2 p.m. Monday, it was as high as 150 MW.

Ethel Natera, spokesperson of the Visayan Electric Co. (VECO), said the power situation reached a break-even due to the availability of Luzon’s supply to the Visayas grid during the day.

However, Natera said at around 6 p.m., a power shortage affected parts of Mandaue City and downtown Cebu City.

No cause for alarm

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, however, said the shortfall in power supply for the Visayas should not be a cause for alarm.

She assured the business sector that immediate measures were undertaken to address the problem.

“I remind everybody this is a temporary situation that we are facing, as we have reminded everyone time and again. We are doing something about the power situation,” she said.

Garcia said two power plants are being constructed, promising to supply a total of 446 MW.

Last week, NGCP officials announced the 220-MW power shortage and explained that it needed 10 days to conduct preventive maintenance on the Mahanagdong geothermal power plant starting last Jan. 30.

Garcia said they are looking at a more effective implementation of the interruptible load agreement.

She urged the business sector, which has voiced their concern about the power shortage, to do their share in solving the problem.

Garcia said several members of business chambers have their own power-generating capacity and can sign up to join the interruptible load agreement.