GenSan city gov’t suggests energy saving measures

Business World Online

Posted on March 18, 2013 09:56:06 PM

GENERAL SANTOS -- There is no quick fix for the ongoing power outages in this city, but the local government has recommended some steps to take as it waits for solutions to the current power problem that is already affecting the local economy.

In her state of the city address last weekend, Mayor Darlene A. Custodio said that the problem is that Mindanao’s demand for power (that) has outpaced the development of new power plants.

South Cotabato Electric Cooperative-2 (Socoteco-2), the power distributor which covers this city and nearby Sarangani province, has estimated there is a deficit of at least 30 megawatts (MW) in this city due to reduced supply from the National Power Corp. (Napocor).

The city needs roughly 112 MW as stipulated in its new power supply contract. It is receiving only 52 MW from Napocor, Ms. Custodio reported. She said that the local power distributor is getting an additional 30 MW from Therma Marine, Inc. to increase the power supply to 82 MW. The current demand, she said, would be met once the Iligan power plant supplies 30 MW after its full rehabilitation in August. 

Meanwhile, the city government is asking consumers to conserve electricity. The city government will also employ energy-saving measures. It is currently bidding to change streetlights and office lamps to LED (light emitting diode) types, which the mayor said could reduce the city’s power consumption by up to 25%.

The city government is also seeking help from the business chambers to convince big firms to join the Department of Energy program where establishments use their own generators for three hours a day to "de-load the grid" of up to 28 MW daily.

Lastly, the city government is also asking some companies to shift operating hours from peak load hours of 9 a.m to 9 p.m., to off-peak hours of 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. Ms. Custodio acknowledged that the city’s major economic contributors, especially the tuna industry, have been significantly affected by the power crisis.

On Saturday, Socoteco-2 reported a deficit of 47 MW in its coverage area, which is the main reason for the six- to seven-hour outages over the weekend. The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines reported a 333 MW deficit for the Mindanao grid on Monday. -- Louie O. Pacardo   source