Sufficient power during summer assured

MANILA – Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella on Monday assured consumers that the country has sufficient power supply to last from March until June this year even with the onset of a weak El Niño.

Citing reports from

the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Fuentebella, who also serves as the Department of Energy (DOE) spokesperson, said power supply is likely to be normal throughout the four-month period amid the warmer climate.

“It will have little impact on the power supply,” he said.

El Niño happens when water in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean becomes warmer than usual.

PAGASA, in an advisory last February, said the phenomenon is seen to result in below normal rainfall in some parts of the country in the coming months.

With this, Fuentebella said the Luzon grid is projected to have lower than required dispatchable reserve level from April 5 to June 13 but there will be normal conditions.

For the Visayas grid, El Niño will have “minimal effect” since share of hydro power plants’ share on the grid’s total dependable capacity during the period is only around 0.6 percent of the total.

The Mindanao grid will also have stable supply since even as hydro-electric power plants have 27.5 share of the grid’s capacity because their output will be aided by large coal-fired power plants.

Fuentebella also cited that if ever the Luzon grid would need augmentation because of forced outages, the Visayas grid can be tapped to help by as much as 200 megawatts (MWs) while the Pililla,Rizal-based Malaya Thermal Plant can provide 150 MWs.

“From the supply side we have sufficient supply… We don’t see any problem,” he said

Relatively, DOE Assistant Secretary Redentor Delola, during the same briefing, said the power outlook for the four-month period factors in the heightened demand on the week of the May 2019 mid-term elections.

He noted that historically power demand on the day of the polls is actually quite low.

He also explained that the maintenance of hydroelectric power plants is done during the summer months, thus, these facilities are not expected to generate that much electricity during the period.