Luzon grid records recurring low power supply

On a low electricity consumption weekend, system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has raised the “yellow alert” (tight power supply status) in the Luzon grid yesterday due to forced outages of some power plants.

NGCP issued the “yellow alert” notice to load customers from 10 a.m. .to 3 p.m. on Saturday, although power utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco) indicated as of presstime yesterday afternoon that the grid was still not teetering on to rolling brownout situations.

As of 11 a.m., the system operator emphasized that net reserves had been estimated at 254 megawatts; and had been seen going up a bit to 261MW at 2 p.m.

NGCP pointed out that such had been due to “direct result of outage of both GNPower units on early Saturday at 2:30 a.m. That plant’s outage had taken out about 600MW out from the system.”

Just last Thursday, the system operator similarly reported that one unit of the Sual coal-fired power facility had been on shutdown; and also that of San Gabriel gas-fired power plant in Batangas.

San Gabriel plant owner and operator First Gen Corporation indicated that the facility just suffered “minor technical glitch” and had been expected synchronized back to the grid later hours on Saturday.

The country’s biggest power grid had likewise been plunged into “yellow alert condition” last August 30, similarly triggered by sudden outages of power generating facilities.

The power industry is being given the impression that Luzon grid is now on “overcapacity mode,” hence, questions are being raised anew why the grid has been experiencing yellow alerts with just several plants on shutdown.