‘Stable power supply in Mindanao temporary’

MANILA, Philippines – Mindanao-based distribution utilities and electric cooperatives said that the zero brownout that the island is enjoying right now is “only temporary”.

An official from Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. Inc. (Cepalco), who requested not to be named, confirmed that Mindanao has not experienced power outages since Tuesday last week.

But he pointed out that the power supply problem in Mindanao would resume anytime if the government would not do something about it.

The official said they would ask the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and the National Power Corp. (Napocor) to provide them with lower power rates. “They are now calling for a meeting to petition NGCP and Napocor to reduce further power rates,” he said,

Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, for his part, said they were able to resolve the power shortage in Mindanao by coming up with a short-term solution.

Almendras said the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) have resolved to ensure that Power Barges 117 and 118, which have 100 megawatts (MW) capacity each, would be dispatched to help ease the shortage of power in the province.

But Almendras admitted that they would not stop until they find a definitive solution to the long-time power problem in Mindanao.

“We have reviewed it and since Thursday (Oct. 14), Mindanao is zero brownout and we expect that for the rest of the year. But every two weeks, we will continue to hold meetings in preparation for 2011,” the Energy Secretary said.

Meanwhile, NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Perez-Alabanza told reporters over the weekend that they continue to reinforce their system in Mindanao to ensure that the power generated would be properly transmitted to the grid.

“To improve the stability and reliability of power transmission services to Davao and other southern Mindanao areas, NGCP has improved its 138-kiloVolt line from Maramag, Bukidnon to Bunawan,Davao City,” Alabanza said.

It would be noted that NGCP was being blamed by Mindanao businessmen for failure to efficiently deliver power in the province causing huge losses to their respective businesses.

But Alabanza said they have been investing a lot to upgrade and improve their transmission facilities not only in Mindanao but also in the entire grid. To date, NGCP has invested more than P5 billion for upgrading and improvement of Mindanao transmission grid.

She noted that for one, Maramag-Bunawan Line 1, with a rated capacity of 330 megawatts (MW), was energized and looped to the grid on the first week of October. Line 2, which is capable of carrying another 330 MW, has been energized as well. –Donnabelle L. Gatdula (The Philippine Star)