The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has temporarily placed the Luzon grid under yellow alert on Monday (June 21) morning due to thin power supply of its reserves.
According to the NGCP, the Luzon grid’s operating requirement at past 8:00 a.m. has reached 11,344 Megawatts (Mw) wherein its available capacity is 11,760 Mw. The yellow alert status has been lifted at 10:15 a.m.
In a Senate Energy Committee hearing, the Department of Energy (DOE) said to expect yellow and red alert status in the next few weeks due to some plants undergoing preventive maintenance.
In a Laging Handa public briefing, DOE Undersecretary Felix Fuentebella explained that despite the yellow alert status, no rotational brownout or power interruption can be expected.
“So, yellow alert means, wala tayong aasahan na rotational brownout or power interruption, nagkaroon lang ng problema iyong isang planta na pabalik na naman ngayon. So, we are expecting anytime soon kung wala ng madadagdag pang aberya sa ibang planta, kung all things go well as planned ay mali-lift na po iyong yellow alert; so, wala po tayong masyadong dapat ipangamba,” he said.
Fuentebella also said that the power demand is starting to decrease as the rainy season comes near.
“Well, the improvement is coming from the demand side. Ibig sabihin, lumalamig ang panahon, so, bumaba iyong paggamit natin ng kuryente. Also iyong paggalaw ng ibang mga planta ng kanilang preventive maintenance schedule. So, iyong pag-comply nila sa ating mga policies.”
He also emphasized that if all power distribution utilities are complying with the DOE’s policies, there will be “a better power system to support our economy.”
“So, kung lahat po ay sumusunod at lahat susunod, we would definitely have a better power system to support our economy; ang pagbangon natin sa COVID, pagbangon po ng ating bayan.”
Report from Naomi Tiburcio/NGS-rir
