Cotabato City Power Consumers Brace for More Brownouts

Cotabato City (PNA) — Power consumers in Cotabato City and its environs brace for more power interruptions as the power situation in Mindanao remain unstable, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and Cotabato Light and Power Company said.

As of Thursday, Nov. 26, NGCP reported that Mindanao’s available power supply was 1,352 megawatts while the demand was 1,375 MW or a deficiency of 24 MW.

Cotabato Light is only receiving 16 megawatt or less since Monday from power producers, way below its regular requirements of 25 megawatt, according Arlene Hepiga, Cotabato Light communications officer.

NGCP reported on its website that Mindanao power situation improved a bit after the STEAG coal-fired power plant in Misamis Occidental on Nov. 25, which has a capacity of 105 megawatt (MW) was put back to the Mindanao Grid.

Despite the re-entry of STEAG to Mindanao grid after its preventive maintenance operation on Sept. 21, NGCP said the power situation remains abnormal.

Since Monday, the Cotabato Light and Power Company (Cotabato Light) has been rationing powers supply due to limited available energy from Agus Unit 3 hydropower plant in Lanao and Pulangi 4 hydropower plant in Bukidnon and 150 MW capacity Aboitiz Power’s Therma South Inc. (TSI), which underwent emergency shutdown on Nov. 22.

The brownout ranges from one to two hours daily.

Power rationing was also implemented in Davao Light and Power Company franchise area as well as electric cooperatives in the island.

Hepiga said the rationing is equally distributed to all feeders of the franchise that also covers part of the towns of Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao.

When asked how long the situation would last, Hepiga said it was really difficult to predict when.

“(But) the implementation of the rotating power interruptions will continue until the generating plants supplying the grid are back online,” she said.

Every day since Monday, Cotabato Light has been issuing power interruption advisory to alert power concessionaires of outages.

The Cotabato Light scheduled interruption has always been accompanied by announcement that the rotational brownout will be automatically lifted once the availability of supplies from State-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM), National Power Corporation and Aboitiz owned power generators become available.

Hepiga admitted the scheduled brownout has an impact on consumers’ power bills. “(It is) because of the contingency to reduce the brownout. (Cotabato Light) is running our embedded diesel-fed generators which has higher cost than hydropower plants,” she said.

“However, the rate of Cotabato Light is highly regulated by Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) which is reasonable, just and fair rate charges,” she said.

Hepiga said the entry of malls and department stores in the city was expected to hike the demand for power.

“Power demand is expected to increase. (Our projection) is around 1.2 MW for all the malls that have opened recently,” she said, adding “one of our action plans with the projected increase in load is to buy from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) like Therma South Inc. (TSI).”

With the projected El Niño phenomenon to hit the country and reduced capacity of hydropower plants, brownout is inevitable.

As for consumer care, Hepiga forwarded the following important reminders to power consumers.

With this power shortage and rotational interruption implemented, Cotabato Light encourages its consumers to use electricity wisely.

“Leave one light switch in the on position so you’ll know when the electricity comes back. If using candles, keep them away from curtains or other flammable items,” she said.

“Never walk away and leave candles burning, and be sure to put them out once the power is restored. Better understanding of electricity, Better savings,” Hepiga added.

Cotabato Light apologizes to its customers for the inconvenience caused by these power interruptions which are beyond its control. (PNA) JMC/NYP/EOF