Longer Blackout Hits Davao Anew; Mindanao Grid on Red Alert

Davao City (PNA) -– The franchise areas of Davao Light and Power Company has experienced longer blackout of up to three hours starting Thursday.

This developed after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) issued a system advisory that the Mindanao grid is on red alert from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. after the contingency reserve dropped to zero.

During the past days, DLPC has already been implementing rotating power interruptions from one to two hours. DLPC earlier expected an improvement in the power situation when the Therma South Inc. (TSI) coal-fired power plant will again go online after an emergency shutdown.

DLPC, which has a 50MW contract from the TSI’s 150 MW unit, expected to improve the situation this week. TSI’s 150MW unit went on an emergency shutdown since last month due to technical problem. DLPC’s contract with TSI decreased from 30MW to 19MW due to the preventive maintenance service (PMS) of one of its four units with a capacity of 45MW.

DLPC vice president and CEO, Arturo Milan Milan, noted that DLPC has been sourcing power from TSI even if its second unit is still in a commissioning phase. The unit is expected to have its full commercial operation by late January or early February next year. (PNA) LAP/LILIAN C. MELLEJOR/LDP