1,200-MW Sual coal plant resumes operations after weekend maintenance shutdown

THE Department of Energy said Monday the 1,200 megawatt Sual coal-fired power plant is now back in operation after undergoing maintenance shutdown over the weekend.

It said the Sual coal plant underwent maintenance from April 29 to May 1 to conduct repairs.

“Concerns with Sual units 1 and 2 were resolved and both are operating as planned. Sual unit 2 is fully operational, while unit 1 is maintained [at] max level of 580 MW until further repair and maintenance activities are done by June or July,” Energy assistant secretary Mario Marasigan said.

The grid operator did not place the Luzon grid on red or yellow alert despite the maintenance shutdown because of low demand over the weekend.

The Sual plant had to resolve the buildup of a leak from the boiler tube and clean the generator stator lot bar to rectify the increase in temperature.

Energy officials said, however, that if they allowed plant to conduct the maintenance for seven-days on May 5 to 11 as requested, it would result in a possible yellow alert, or worst, red alert on Week 18 (May 1 to 7) and Week 19 (May 8 to 14).

This was agreed during the assessment meeting among the DOE team, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and TeaM Sual Corp. on April 25.

The DOE received a notice from the TSC on April 24 requesting to undergo unplanned maintenance of its Sual Unit 1 on May 5 to 11.

The DOE also asked for the public’s cooperation by rationalizing the use of power during the peak demand hours of 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to mitigate the impact of the maintenance shutdown.

It encouraged all offices and residences using air conditioners to set their thermostat at 25 degrees Celsius during these times.