Private generators to help address Visayas power woes
Private firms with generators will help offset the power shortage in the Visayas in the next few months, according to the Department of Energy.
DOE Undersecretary Roy Kyamko said in a press briefing here on Thursday that companies in the Visayas with power generators have offered to help address the power shortage by selling excess power or using their own generators for their power needs during peak hours.
The measure was among those discussed during an energy summit held in Cebu in January, said Kyamko.
The firms will use their own generators for their power need during peak hours to unburden the Cebu-Negros-Panay power grid. They will also offer to sell their excess power to augment the supply.
Kyamko said that Negros Occidental's 13 sugar centrals produce electricity. The First Farmers sugar central is already selling 5 mw excess power.
The scheme, dubbed Visayas Supply Auction Program (VSAAP), will be implemented by the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC), the governing body of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
Kyamko said the selling of excess electricity will be voluntary on rates that will be set by the Energy Regulatory Commission.
The implementation of the VSAAP could start by next month when the rates and protocols will be finalized.
He said the power supply in the Visayas has become critical with demand nearing current capacity especially during peak hours.
Peak demand for Cebu alone has reached around 42 mw, higher than the supply of 40 mw. This has resulted to brownouts that are being experienced in other areas in the Visayas.
Energy officials earlier said that Cebu, Negros and Panay will need 261 mw until 2010 to prevent shortage. This includes 159 mw for Negros, 88 mw for Panay and 14 mw for Cebu.
Kyamko said the VSAAP is only a temporary measure until additional base load supply is available for the CNP grid.
The additional sources would come from two power generating plants in Toledo City in Cebu that are expected to be ready by the middle of next year and two coal fired power plants in Iloilo that are set to be operational within two or three years.