Mindanao power shortage continues

The power shortage in Mindanao continued Tuesday due to critically low water levels at reservoirs in Lake Lanao and Pulangi, sources of Mindanao grid.

In its Tuesday advisory, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippine (NGCP) said that most of the hydro-electric power plants in Lake Lanao in Marawi City and Pulangi in Bukidnon have already limited capabilities due to low water levels.

The situation continues to trigger generation deficiency that results in the curtailment of power load transmitted to Mindanao grid users, the NGCP advisory said.

The NGCP said on Monday evening, the Mindanao power supply was already recorded at 673 megawatts and still insufficient to meet the peak demand of 1,451 MW.

The NGCP said the Mindanao grid, which relies on hydro-electric power for its electricity requirements, said that Lake Lanao, which supplies the water that operates the turbines of National Power Corporation’s (Napocor) Agus Plants, has been greatly affected by the dry spell.

The lake’s current elevation is already at 699.03 meters, which is below the critical level of 699.15 meters.

These hydro-electric power plants will have the following available capacities during the peak hours in the evening: Agus 1 (10 MW), Agus 2 (15 MW), Agus 4 (20 MW), Agus 5 (6 MW), Agus 6 (20 MW), Agus 7 (7 MW), and Pulangi (20 MW).

The 1.8 million consumers being supplied electricity by the 33 members of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives (Amreco) suffered much since the NGCP and Napocor started their rotating brownouts last month.

“Adding extra power supply to the island is the Western Mindanao Power Corp. (WMPC) plant, owned and operated by the Alcantara Group of Companies which is now giving 90 MW to the grid, an improvement from the previous 80 MW,” said NGCP advisory.

NGCP will continue to monitor power grid conditions, added the advisory.

Meanwhile, in an effort not to disrupt the flow of pubic services, some local government units are set to purchase additional power generator sets, it was learned Tuesday.

It was gathered that the Surigao City government is set to purchase additional power generator sets to supply the daily power needs of all department offices of the city and other support government units.

Surigao del Norte also plans to purchase as their current generator set cannot supply the power needs of all offices at the Provincial government.

Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Sur, including the cities of Bayugan, Cabadbaran and Tandag have the same plan.

Public transactions at the city hall of Butuan are also being disrupted by the daily power interruption that already hit the entire region since last month. (MUC/MB)

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