Cebu-Negros-Panay grid upgrades to provide relief to Panay island

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said the Panay grid is expected to obtain a measure of relief from the completion of upgrades to the Cebu-Negros-Panay transmission link by the end of the month.

“By the end of March, the Panay grid will be strengthened by the completion of the Cebu-Negros-Panay transmission upgrade. The PCPC (Palm Concepcion Power Corp.) regular maintenance shutdown will also be finished,” the DoE said in a statement over the weekend.

The Panay grid reported a partial blackout at 6:59 p.m. on March 1 due to the unplanned shutdown of three units of Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC), as well as ongoing maintenance by PCPC, which will run until March 31.

With the gradual return of PEDC units online, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said it has fully restored all affected feeders on Panay Island and normalized transmission operations in the area as of midday of March 2.

Panay Island is powered by the four large coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 451 megawatts (MW) and nine smaller diesel and renewable facilities producing up to 220.3 MW, according to the DoE.

Aside from the Panay-based power generators, about 180 MW can be drawn from the Negros grid through a submarine cable.

The Cebu-Negros-Panay Interconnection Project consists of a 230-kilovolt backbone which can ultimately supply the rest of the Visayas from Cebu.

“In the meantime, the Department of Energy reiterates the need for cooperation among the generators, distribution utility, and the system operator in Panay,” it said.

Multiple power plants tripped on the second day of the year on Panay Island, causing a major power outage in the Western Visayas. Power was restored three days later. —