Power sources beyond hydro pressed

Business World Online
Posted on March 07, 2012 10:32:20 PM


NON-HYDROELECTRIC POWER plants should be immediately set up and made operational in Mindanao to resolve the island’s power shortage, the Energy department said yesterday.


"Considering the future lower rainfall forecast in Mindanao, we cannot rely solely on hydropower plants. Non-hydro baseload is immediately needed and this will only happen if everyone cooperates," Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras said in the statement.


Key to this is fast-tracking the process of obtaining local government permits in setting up power plants.


"There are problems securing permits from local government units, thus resulting to delay in projects," Mr. Almendras said.


Shifting the power source, however, is likely to entail higher cost for consumers as industry estimates show that it is more expensive to generate power from coal compared to water, or P5 per kilowatt-hour (kwh) against P3-4/kwh for hydro. More than a third of Mindanao’s supply, or 70%, comes from hydroelectric power plants; the rest is from diesel-, coal- and solar-powered facilities.


There are several non-hydroelectric projects in the pipeline in Mindanao including the 300-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Davao by Aboitiz Power Corp.


Mindanao has been experiencing rotating brownouts in the past few months. Projected peak demand in the region is at 1,300 MW but available capacity is only 1,110 MW.


A group has been created by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) that will look into the power situation in the island.


In addition, the Energy department has been in talks with electric cooperatives to encourage the dispatch of all available power. It is also expected to release a department order mandating the use of all available power in the region and to prevent voluntary curtailment or brownouts.


The department, meanwhile, said power shortages are only being experienced in Mindanao and not in the Visayas as reported.


"With the recent commercial operations of new coal-fired power plants in the region (Visayas) having a total capacity of 610 MW, power supply remains stable with an available capacity of 1,757 MW, a year-to-date peak demand of 1,375 MW and a reserve power supply of around 380 MW," the department said.


A recent report said the Visayas is also experiencing rotating brownouts. -- ENJD