NGCP: No brownouts in Mindanao this summer

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MONDAY, 25 APRIL 2011 19:41 BONG D. FABE / CORRESPONDENT

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is expecting no power interruption in Mindanao this summer.

“Based on our projections, we are not expecting any more brownouts in Mindanao this summer,” NGCP spokesman Cynthia D. Perez-Alabanza said.

Alabanza said NGCP is also expanding its power-transmission highway. If there are power interruptions during the summer months, the problem is not with NGCP but with the power-generation plants, especially if the water levels in the hydroelectric power plants fall.

She explained that their “no brownout projections” in Mindanao this summer are based on historical data, water level in the hydroelectric power plants and the maintenance schedule of these power plants.

The National Power Corp. (Napocor) completed its maintenance work on the Pulangi 4 hydroelectric power plant in Bukidnon at the weekend.

Napocor scheduled its maintenance work on Pulangi 4 during the Holy Week to minimize impact on the overall power situation in Mindanao, said plant manager Rudy Brioso.

He said Napocor drained or “dewatered” a 9.5-kilometer-long power channel of Pulangi 4 so that it can inspect the structure for cracks or scours.

The 255-megawatt (MW) Pulangi hydroelectric power complex in Bukidnon and the 700-MW Agus hydroelectric power complex in Lanao del Sur supply about 53 percent of Mindanao’s total power needs.

Mindanao has an installed 998-MW hydroelectric power capacity.

The rest of the island’s power needs are being supplied by a 210-MW coal-fired power plant, a 98-MW geothermal energy plant and a 485-MW oil-based energy plant.

Mindanao’s general power demand is estimated by NGCP to be about 1,085 MW.

During the Holy Week, NGCP said the peak demand for power on the island was 881 MW and a capacity of 1,064 MW.  This is because most industries and businesses were closed.

Napocor schedules its preventive maintenance activities during Lent due to the expected lower demand for power.

Brioso said the Pulangi 4 power channel has not been inspected for 25 years since its commissioning.

Last year Mindanao experienced rotating brownouts that lasted for up to 10 hours each throughout summer due to very low water levels in the power dams of the Pulangi and Agus hydroelectric power-plant complexes brought about by El Niño.

To mitigate the situation, NGCP resorted to the use of the Aboitiz Power Corp.’s Power Barges 117 and 118.