Power demand growth seen requiring more plants, use of ILP

THE so-called “power bloc” of legislators concerned with energy-sector issues said the energy department is not approving power plants fast enough to keep up with growing demand, and called for measures to slow down this growth ahead of another likely electricity shortage during the dry months.

“Dalawa po ang posibleng dahilan nito: kakulangan ng mga planta na 1) tumatayong ancillary services ng grid at 2) kakulangan ng mga bagong planta na pupuno sa tumataas ng taunang demand

ng kuryente (There are two possible explanations: the lack of power plants which provide ancillary services to the grid and of new plants to keep up with the annual growth in power demand),” Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) Rep. Sergio C. Dagooc said in a news conference.

Mr. Dagooc said that the government owns only one ancillary plant in Luzon which it plans to auction this year.

He added that only two power plants in the Visayas are newly-commissioned. Mindanao has one power plant and Luzon has none.

“Samakatuwid, ang kakulangan ng mga bagong planta ay nagpapatunay lamang na hindi na po sapat ang available capacity upang tugunan ang annual demand growth rate lalong-lalo na dito sa Luzon at medyo kulang ang Department of Energy (DoE)

sa kanilang trabaho. Ito kasi ang mandate nila, pero mukhang baka iba na ang kanilang pinagkakaabalahan (The dearth of new plants proves that capacity is insufficient to meet demand growth, especially in Luzon, and that the DoE has not fulfilled its mandate. It looks like it is preoccupied with other things),” he said.

Rep. Adriano A. Ebcas Ako Padayon Pilipino Party List, which was formed by power co-ops and focuses on electricity consumer rights, recommended the adoption of the “demand-side management” to help mitigate power shortage in the dry season. Mr. Ebcas said this would require electric cooperatives to “implement load curtailment or load-shedding from large power consumers as needed.”

“Kaming mga electric cooperatives are in close coordination with the Department of Energy

para sa implementasyon ng Interruptible Load Program (ILP) sa Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao (We electric co-ops are in close coordination with the DoE to implement the ILP on Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao),” he said.

ILP was established by the DOE and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to help mitigate supplies deficiency in the Philippines “until new capacity become available on the grid.” It enlists large power consumers to use their internal power-generating resources during shortages.

Mr. Ebcas also encouraged companies with embedded generators to “de-load and participate in ILP in order to leave enough supply for residential consumers, especially during peak hours.”

“Under this program, ILP participants will be compensated by the distribution utility for their fuel cost. Ito rin ay nanghihikayat para sa ating mga ECs

na maghanda at gumamit ng mga embedded generation sets

kung sakaling hindi maabot ng aming mga supply ang mataas na demand ng kuryente (I also hope this persuades co-ops to use their own generation sets in the event supply is lacking or demand is high),” he said. —