NPC explains frequent power interruptions
Wonder why brownouts frequently occur in the city and in the municipalities the past few days? National Power Corporation (NPC) explained that the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) Grid is currently experiencing generation deficiency due to the emergency shutdown of Cebu Thermal Power Plant 2 (CTPP-2).
NPC supplies power to the three electric cooperatives in Iloilo province and part of the power needs of Iloilo City.
Silvano C. Zanoria, NPC's senior vice president for generation, in a letter to Mayor Jerry Treñas and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. explained that "the power situation in the CNP Grid is very tight."
It was learned that the draw-out power from NPC to Iloilo City's Panay Electric Company (Peco) has reduced to 5 megawatts.
NPC should have supplied Peco a regular power of 15 megawatts as augmentation to the power provided by Panay Power Corp. (PPC).
NPC's power barges are undergoing preventive maintenance reason why there is reduction of draw-out power.
To address the situation, Zanoria said the NPC has already arranged with the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) to ensure 15-megawatt supply to Peco by adjusting power generation from power plants in Panay.
"We are adopting this mitigating measure to alleviate power supply in Iloilo City alone," said Zanoria.
Zanoria in his letter added that the ongoing preventive maintenance activities in some of their power barges are just part of their program to maintain dependable capacities. "Non-implementation of these scheduled maintenance activities will not only reduce the available capacities from these power barges in the long run but will aggravate further very tight power supply in the CNP."
Meanwhile, PPC in a recent announcement also admitted that they have deficient power supply to Peco due to technical problems in one of their generators.
As a result, Peco implemented load shedding in its feeders causing rotational brownouts in the city.
"We suggest that PECO and PPC closely coordinate with Visayas System Operations and the National Power Corporation the maintenance scheduling of its generating units to ensure power supply," said Zanoria in his letter.