Luzon on power alert anew
DOE to investigate simultaneous unplanned outages
For the second time in a row this week, the Luzon grid was placed on yellow alert condition on Thursday due to insufficient power supply.
In an advisory sent to industry players by system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), it declared a yellow alert situation in the grid at 11 a.m.; and then from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.
“Luzon grid is on yellow alert due to insufficient operating reserve,” the transmission company said.
As of Thursday (March 7), NGCP said the 316-megawatt GNPower plant unit 2 in Mariveles, Bataan experienced forced outage. The facility is owned by the Ayala and Aboitiz groups.
The other generating facilities that were on unplanned shutdowns were the 150MW Malaya thermal power plant of Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM); 300MW Calaca coal-fired facility of the Consunji group; 150MW
unit 2 of South Luzon Power Generation Corp which is also of the Consunji group; and the 150MW Unit 1 South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp, which is also owned by the Ayala group.
Another generating facility that was on forced outage is the 150MW unit 2 of San Miguel power group, according to the monitoring report of NGCP.
On Thursday’s power reservebreached condition, it was emphasized that 1,226 megawatts of power capacity had been taken out from the system.
Three generating facilities also suffered capacity de-rating – including the Masinloc unit 1 plant of which capacity was down to 300MW from the usual 315MW; Masinloc unit-2 which has its capacity reduced to 280MW from 344MW; and the Pagbilao plant’s capacity-getting slashed to 315MW from 420MW.
Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi noted that “the yellow alert condition” in the grid should not be a cause of concern because this does not mean that rotating brownouts will happen, although he said the department will investigate the causes of these simultaneous unplanned outages in power plants.
Cusi is very cautious about allegations of “collusion” being thrown against the power companies, with him emphasizing that it will be better for the department to look into the bottom of these concerns in the power system first.