April 24, 2019 | 12:32 am
LUZON managed to avoid widespread
brownouts despite the 6.1 earthquake that rocked parts of the island on Monday,
knocking out several major power plants.
However, the Department of Energy
(DoE) held off releasing its power supply and demand outlook for the rest of the
week as it awaits the return online of two units of San Miguel Consolidated
Power Corp. (SMCPC) and a unit of GNPower Mariveles Coal Plant Ltd. Co.
“Mas makikita natin ‘yung
situation mamayang gabi dahil papasok na ‘yung mga planta at ‘yung pag-monitor
din natin sa demand. Ngayon mababa ‘yung demand at may
nawalang mga planta — 1,290 megawatts (MW) ang affected ng
earthquake (The situation will be clearer tonight when some of the affected
power plants will go on line and in the face of demand we are monitoring,”
Energy Undersecretary William Felix B. Fuentebella said in a briefing at the
DoE head office in Taguig City on Tuesday.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake, centered
near Castillejos, Zambales, struck at 5:11 p.m. on Monday; followed by a
magnitude 6.5 quake centered near San Julian, Eastern Samar that struck at 1:37
p.m. on Tuesday.
On Monday night, the DoE counted
five power plants that went offline following the quake, namely: Anda Power
Corp. (83.7 MW) in Mabalacat, Pampanga; Panasia Energy Holding Inc. (648 MW) in
Limay, Bataan; GN Power Mariveles (two units, each with 345 MW) in Mariveles,
Bataan; and Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan Power Co. Ltd. (720 MW) in Kalayaan,
Laguna.
Kalayaan units 1 to 4 and Anda Power
promptly went back online, along with SMCPC units 1 and 2. But SMCPC’s units 2
and 3 suffered rupture disc damage.
The DoE said National Grid
Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) issued a red alert notice at 5:20 p.m. on
Monday due to multiple tripping. The agency said it was initially informed by
the grid operator that the quake caused a drop in available capacity of 2,009
MW and brought down system frequency to 58.87 Hz.
The quake caused power interruptions
in Pangasinan, Pampanga, La Union, and Bataan. Power in Quezon, Batangas,
Camarines Sur and Sorsogon were also affected but were soon restored.
As of 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the DoE
said a total of 1,290 MW were still offline, although the 345-MW unit 1 of GN
Power Mariveles was set to be back by midnight. The 345-MW unit 2, as well as
SMCPC’s affected units, did not have a definite timetable for returning online.
Two other plants are reported to
have been de-rated, generating energy below installed capacity, reducing
capacity in the Luzon grid by an additional 720 MW.
Apart from the power plants, NGCP
said the Mexico-San Simon 69-kilovolt (kV) line is presently undergoing repair.
Pampanga Electric Cooperative II has
reported the partial restoration of power in its service area, with subsequent
re-energization subject to NGCP rehabilitation of distribution lines linked to
the power distributor.
No damage was reported by downstream
and upstream oil industry players, Mr. Fuentebella said.
A state of calamity was raised in
Porac, Pampanga, hence, a price freeze for household liquefied petroleum gas
and kerosene products in this area is now in effect and will remain valid for
15 days.
Reynaldo B. Abadilla, NGCP head for
Luzon system operations, said the power situation depends on re-entry online of
the affected power plants. “Tonight we will know the real situation if they can
sink in and provide full load on Wednesday morning,” he said.
NGCP is also conducting aerial
inspection of facilities in affected areas, including Zambales and Bataan, to
check the integrity of its facilities.
Mr. Fuentebella said power
restoration efforts were set to have been completed by 5:27 p.m. on Tuesday.
Turning its attention to the Eastern
Samar quake, the DoE said that, as of 4.15 p.m. on Tuesday, it had received
initial reports on power generation, transmission and distribution. It said
that, as of 3:30 p.m., there was no damage reported at power plants in the
Visayas.
It also said NGCP was still
assessing the status of transmission facilities in the area.
But the quake caused power
interruptions in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Calbayog City.
The DoE said it was coordinating
with the National Electrification Administration to check electricity
cooperatives in areas affected by the quake.
“Only a portion of Leyte Electric
Cooperative II is experiencing power interruption due to the tripping of one of
its feeders. The ground personnel are on their way to restore it,” the DoE said
in a statement.
It said the entire Eastern Samar
Electric Cooperative (Esamelco) coverage area had no power due to the
earthquake.
“As of 3:22 p.m., the NGCP and
(Esamelco) have already energized the Nato Substation and restored power to the
municipalities of Can-avid, Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche and
Jipadpad,” the department said.
“The other substations however
remain unenergized.” — Victor V. Saulon
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