Published
By Myrna M. Velasco
On a low electricity
consumption weekend, system operator National Grid Corporation of the
Philippines (NGCP) has raised the “yellow alert” (tight power supply status) in
the Luzon grid yesterday due to forced outages of some power plants.
NGCP issued the “yellow
alert” notice to load customers from 10 a.m. .to 3 p.m. on Saturday, although
power utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco) indicated as of presstime
yesterday afternoon that the grid was still not teetering on to rolling
brownout situations.
As of 11 a.m., the
system operator emphasized that net reserves had been estimated at 254
megawatts; and had been seen going up a bit to 261MW at 2 p.m.
NGCP pointed out that
such had been due to “direct result of outage of both GNPower units on early
Saturday at 2:30 a.m. That plant’s outage had taken out about 600MW out from
the system.”
Just last Thursday, the
system operator similarly reported that one unit of the Sual coal-fired power
facility had been on shutdown; and also that of San Gabriel gas-fired power
plant in Batangas.
San Gabriel plant owner
and operator First Gen Corporation indicated that the facility just suffered
“minor technical glitch” and had been expected synchronized back to the grid
later hours on Saturday.
The country’s biggest
power grid had likewise been plunged into “yellow alert condition” last August
30, similarly triggered by sudden outages of power generating facilities.
The power industry is
being given the impression that Luzon grid is now on “overcapacity mode,”
hence, questions are being raised anew why the grid has been experiencing
yellow alerts with just several plants on shutdown.
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