All about the Interruptible Load Program
WHAT happened as an enigmatic twist in a tidbit of ancient war history has an ominous relevance to the impending energy shortage seen during the summer months of 2015.
It is narrated by street historians that after conquering one third of the world, Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan heard of the richness of the British Isles and decided to add them to his empire.
Genghis Khan and thousands of his marauding warriors were all lined up at the beaches of what is now Belgium, ready to cross the English Channel to England.
Fortunately, England knew of the planned invasion much earlier and solicited the help of the kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland which sent battleready contingents.
The composite protectors were also on the ready camping at the long shoreline of southern England armed to the teeth anticipating a bloody skirmish.
The following morning, to the surprise of the British defenders, they learned that Genghis Khan and his myriads of pillagers were nowhere at the Belgian peninsula. They had disappeared mysteriously.
And then peace reigned in the United Kingdom.
Now for the present similitude. There is this alarming call sounded jointly by the government and the private sector. A shortage of electricity will descend upon the country, especially in Metro Manila, with unimaginable consequences if public and private authorities will not do something to forestall it.
Thus, the Department of Energy and the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) have come up with an undertaking notably convened as Interruptible Load Program or ILP.
Many who were in the dark as to the rationale of ILP thought this was a power input to a cellphone prepaid load!
Seriously, the program enjoins big commercial and industrial establishments that are heavy users of electricity to use their own generator sets in powering their energy needs, instead of connecting to the national grid, during the summer months next year when energy supply is forecast to dwindle.
To emphasize the advocacy to a much wider audience, the proponents of ILP run regular print advertising insertions in some broad sheet newspapers during weekends called the “ILP WATCH.”
Aside from briefly explaining the reason behind the program, the ads list down names of big-energy-consuming corporate and industrial entities that have signed up in support of the objectives of ILP.
“A growing number of commercial and industrial companies are heeding the DOE and Meralco’s call to participate in the Interruptible Load Program - a demand-side management solution regarded as one of the countermeasures meant to help mitigate the projected power supply strain in the summer months of 2015,” says the program’s paid print advertising.
Thus, ILP “works by calling on business customers with loads of at least 1MWto run their own generator sets, if needed, instead of drawing power from the grid,” continues the advertising message.
One megawatt is equivalent to one million watts. A middle-income household of 4-6 members uses an average of 150 watts every 12 hours of electricity a day.
The energy supply is forecast as bleak by the DOE in the coming blistering months from March to June, thus, the sounding of the clarion call. And appealing to big power users of their patriotism to take part in the ILP and help caution any adverse effect which may result from that shortage.
December 1, 2014, is the deadline for enlisting. As of November 14, 30 companies have joined ILP, with a combined de-loading capacity of 171 megawatts.