Business World Online
Posted on April 19, 2012 10:07:55 PM
THE NATIONAL Power Corp. (Napocor) will fast-track the rehabilitation of the Pulangui hydroelectric power plant in a bid to shorten the power gap in Mindanao, the agency said in a statement yesterday.
The agency wants to finish repair works in the power plant by May 16 rather than the original target of May 19.
Unit 4 of the 255-megawatt (MW) Pulangui hydroelectric power plant was shut down earlier this week to allow for repair and maintenance works in its equipment. Napocor earmarked P7.11 million for the repair work.
The shutdown of the power plant means there will be a gap of around 120 MW in Mindanao which is already struggling with the lack of electricity and is already experiencing rotating brownouts in some areas.
Napocor said it is “working closely with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to ensure that the 30-day shutdown of Pulangui 4 will not aggravate the power situation in Mindanao.”
“Among other measures, the two parties have agreed to optimize the use of the Agus hydroelectric power plant complex to make up for generation loss. At the same time, all other scheduled generator outages were canceled, Finally, Napocor will ensure that generating facilities with “black-start” capability will be on stand-by during the shutdown period,” Napocor said in its statement.
Black-start plants are usually diesel-fired power plants which can start operating the moment they are needed.
Repairs to Pulangui 4 include fixing the channel where the water for the plant rushes through to the turbine.
The Pulangui hydropower plant in Bukidnon generates 255 MW and began operations in 1985.
The Agus hydropower plant has six cascading units with a combined generation total of 700 MW. The first of the six units was constructed in 1953 and the newest one started operation in 1992. Agus is located in the two Lanao provinces.
Agus and Pulangui provides over 50% of the region’s power requirement.
Stakeholders in Mindanao are urging the government to maintain ownership and operation of the two power plants.
The Energy department earlier sought the deferment of Agus-Pulangui’s privatization until more generation plants in the pipeline are finished.
Meanwhile, the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce said Luzon may see a power crisis like that of Mindanao if the government fails to fast-track investments in the power industry.
“The Mindanao crisis is proof positive that there is shortage of power in the Philippines. There is no longer any doubt that the same will happen in Luzon if the rehabilitation of existing generation plants and building of new ones do not get accelerated,” said Danny J. Piano, president of the group in a statement. -- Emilia Narni J. David
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