Task Force Assures Stable Power Supply In Visayas For May 9 Polls

The Power Task Force Election has assured that there will be no brownout during election day in the Visayas area, citing preparation activities, sufficient supply and available power reserves, officials said on Monday.

Based on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) outlook, there will be 120 to 245 megawatt (MW) power reserve in the three Visayas regions from May 8-10, on top of the 1,899 MW to 2,121 MW available capacity, and 1,678 MW to 1,876 MW system load.

“Since its holiday on May 9, the power demand will be lower. If there would be deficiency, the Luzon grid can provide us power since we are connected with them,” said Keelvin Dajao of the DOE Visayas field office.

The power sector presented their power situation and contingency plan during the final meeting of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Philippine National Police, and Philippine Army joint committee meeting.

Dajao said transmission maintenance firms and distribution facilities vowed not to implement any preventive maintenance activities one week before and after May 9 to ally public fears of possible brownouts.

A command post of the task force has been set up in Cebu province to monitor power supply and possible interruptions in central Philippines. Satellite posts have been set up in all provinces to respond to emergencies

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines Leyte-Samar area district head Lope Cañete said all maintenance activities in the region have been done as of Sunday or two weeks before the elections.

“We have conducted several maintenance activities in the first quarter of 2016 in preparation for the elections. There would be no power interruptions except in emergency cases,” Cañete told election, police and military officials on Monday.

Transmission line teams have been deployed in strategic areas. In the case of Eastern Visayas, these teams will be based in Bobon, Northern Samar; Borongan City, Eastern Samar; Calbayog City, Catbalogan City, and Paranas in Samar; Babatngon, Carigara, Macathur, and Ormoc City in Leyte; Maasin City and Bontoc in Soutern Leyte.

Earlier, the Comelec has asked the DOE, National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation, NGCP, local electric cooperatives to ensure adequate, stable, and reliable power supply for the national and local elections on May 9.

The actions include carrying out strategic preventive maintenance of power facilities, deployment of technical manpower for emergency response, and security of vital power infrastructures. (PNA) BNB/SQM