Visayas’ power woes to end soon, says power exec
Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes (right) listens to the report of the various government agencies during the Visayas Power Stakeholders meeting yesterday at the Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center in Iloilo City. At left is Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr.Black outs no more?
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) assured that Visayas will have uninterrupted power supply starting next month.
This, Raul Galano of the NGCP said following the Visayas Power Stakeholders meeting yesterday at the Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center in Iloilo City.
“The surplus of Cebu and Leyte will be transported to Negros and Panay and with the help of Luzon, which is always helping us, Visayas, as a whole, will have enough reserves perhaps starting and, hopefully, for the rest of the year, especially with the coming of the new plants,” he added.
Galano said that Visayas is expected to have the biggest reserves next year with the opening of the new power plants.
Galano added that based on their forecast, from next month up to June this year power supply in the Visayas will be higher than demand. In fact, he said, excluding power from Luzon, the power reserve coming from the Visayas plants would be 2.8% higher than demand.
Galano added that the commissioning of other power plants this year, to include the 164 MW coal-fired power plant of the Global Business Power Corp. in Iloilo City, would help address the power needs of Western Visayas particularly Panay island which is at the tailend of the power flow in the Visayas region.
Galano said they even expect the highest power reserve for the Visayas next year of about 400 MW.
With the said assurance, NGCP said that Visayas, which experienced occasional brownouts two weeks ago, will not face power-less days and nights.
“Next week and for the rest of the weeks, we have not foreseen any brownout,” Galano added.
Further, NGCP said that enough power supply is also reserved for the May 2010 polls.
“This coming May 6 to May 13, 60 megawatts was reserved in Visayas alone. Plus, Luzon can share up to 150 MW. So, our power supply is in better shape during elections,” Galano assured.
Yesterday’s meeting was for the power stakeholders to assess and address the power situation of the Visayas.
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Angelo Reyes said that similar meetings were done in Luzon and Mindanao
Last Thursday, they came from Zamboanga and in Davao last Friday.
In Visayas, the entry was in Iloilo before the team will proceed to Cebu.
“We know that Mindanao has far more serious problem because their generating capacity is in deficit of about 200 or so megawatts,” Reyes said.
He added that the situation in Visayas has improved recently although the area experienced series of brown outs recently.
But the Cebu Energy Development, which passed its load rejection test last February 21, has alleviated the power outlook in the Visayas.
“It’s an improvement but we have to do more long-term planning and more programs and projects to ensure that power adequacy is available,” Reyes acknowledged.
But he claimed that generating capacity is not enough.
“There’s got to be transmission and distribution infrastructure to ensure that the power generated is in fact transmitted and distributed,” Reyes said.
The series of meetings, he claimed will help the DOE to solve the problem.
Once the Cebu will be finished, Reyes said that they would consolidate their findings from Luzon, Mindanao, and Visayas.
The meetings in Iloilo City was attended by representatives from the National Power Corporation, Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, National Transmission Corp., TransAsia Oil and Energy, Guimaras Electric Cooperative, Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative, Capiz Chamber of Commerce, Antique Chamber of Commerce, Panay Electric Company, Capiz Electric Cooperative, NEDA Region VI, Green Power Panay Philippines, and Iloilo Electric Cooperative I, among others.
