Aside from interventions aimed at strengthening the Visayas power supply and mitigating the impact of generating unit outages, the DOE said the 150-megawatt (MW) Unit 3 of Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) is expected to resume operations by July 3.
Cebu-based KEPCO- SPC Power Corp.'s (KSPC) Unit 1 is expected to be restored on June 19 after undergoing assessment since June 14 when it encountered operational problems and went offline.
"We remain focused on restoring reliability in the Visayas Grid as quickly as possible,” said Energy Secretary Sharon Garin in a statement.
“The anticipated return of PEDC Unit 3 by July 3, combined with the additional capacity interventions being pursued by the government, will substantially strengthen the region's power supply and help bring an end to the recurring yellow and red alerts that have affected consumers since May."
Yellow alert
The Visayas grid has been placed under recurring red and yellow alerts in recent weeks, triggering rotational brownouts, particularly in Cebu, as available power supply struggled to keep pace with demand.
Based on an advisory from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the Visayas grid recorded a reserve margin of only 72 megawatts (MW), prompting another yellow alert as the operating margin fell below the transmission grid's contingency requirement. On June 17, available power supply reached 2,550 MW against a demand of 2,478 MW.
The DOE said the red and yellow alerts began on May 12 following the simultaneous outages of several major generating facilities.
At present, three key power-generating units remain under restoration—two units of Therma Visayas Inc., each with a capacity of 169 megawatts (MW), and Unit 3 of PEDC, which has a capacity of 150 MW.
Restoration activities
"The restoration activities currently underway are already yielding positive results, including a reduction in the number of yellow alert hours and a decrease in the magnitude of supply deficits experienced in the grid," Energy Undersecretary Mario Marasigan said.
Marasigan said a setback occurred on June 14 when KEPCO- SPC Power Corp.’s Unit 1 went offline after encountering operational problems but it was expected to be restored by June 19.
The DOE also stressed that immediate interventions are being pursued to strengthen power supply in the Visayas and mitigate the impact of generating unit outages.
One of these measures involves advancing short- and medium-term projects that could inject about 260 megawatts (MW) of additional capacity into the Visayas Grid—enough to supply approximately 1.25 million households.
These efforts are being carried out in coordination with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and NGCP.
The DOE also stressed that immediate interventions are being pursued to strengthen the Visayas power supply and mitigate the impact of generating unit outages.
One of these involves advancing short- and medium-term measures that could inject about 260 MW of additional capacity into the Visayas Grid, enough to supply around 1.25 million households.
These efforts are being carried out in coordination with the ERC and the NGCP.
Measures
These measures include the deployment of around 170 MW of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) strategically located across Cebu, Negros, and Panay to provide both energy and ancillary services; the installation of a 20-MW modular diesel generating set; and the possible transfer of a power barge from Metro Manila to Panay Island.
Aside from these, the DOE is also pursuing long-term solutions aimed at strengthening energy security and improving supply adequacy in the Visayas.
Among the projects being advanced are the ongoing construction of Therma Visayas Unit 3 and the proposed development of Unit 2 of Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC), which is currently being studied for immediate implementation by the DOE.
Garin said the expected return of PEDC Unit 3, together with the deployment of additional capacity support measures, would help stabilize power conditions in the region. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
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