2-hour rotating power interruption to hit Davao

Sunstar Davao
Friday, October 30, 2015
By ACE JUNE RELL S. PEREZ

A TOTAL of two-hour rotating power interruption will be implemented in Davao City after power deficiency reached 27-megawatt (MW), the Davao Light Power Company (DLPC) said.
The city's forecasted average power demand as of Friday is at 285 MW. Much higher than the power utility distribution's average power supply allocation on Friday which was down to 109 MW, a 150-percent lower than its contracted supply of 273 MW.
Adding to the 109 MW power capacity is the other power supply contracts of DLPC with Hedcor Sibulan and Talomo, Therma Marine Inc., and Therma South Inc. and the power generated from the Bajada Power Plant and the power saved from activating the Interruptible Load Program, resulting to DLPC's the total average supply of 258 MW.
"However, this (258 MW) is still not enough to supply the forecasted average demand for the day which is 285 MW, giving a 27 MW deficiency within the Davao Light franchise," Rossano C. Luga, AVP for DLPC's Reputation Enhancement Department said.
The 27 MW deficiency will now result to a two-hour rotating power interruption.
Causing DLPC and Mindanao's power deficiency is the Mindanao-wide emergency shutdown of two major power plants in Mindanao imposed by National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
Last October 29, NGCP implemented Mindanao-wide grid curtailment due to the derated capacity of Pulangi and Agus hydropower plants due to low water elevation in effect of the El Niño. It also activated an under frequency due to the sudden interruption of Agus-Kibawe 138 Kilovolt (Kv) Line caused by the emergency shutdown of Agus 1 and 2. The NGCP is still investigating the incident to determine cause of tripping which occurred on the evening of October 29.
Mindanao-wide grid curtailment and the under frequency activation of NGCP had caused the capacity deration of one of the plants in Agus complex and Pulangi hydroelectric plant and the shutdown of Agus-Kibawe line which led to the 150 MW grid deficiency in Mindanao.
At present, DLPC's systems operations engineers are closely coordinating with the NGCP and the National Power Corporation (NPC) - Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (Psalm) to get an hourly update on the power supply situation.
Meanwhile, the Mindanao Development Authority (Minda)-led Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) cited that NPC showed that the water levels in Lanao Lake is now reaching critical levels at 699.86 meters above sea level (masl), nearing the lake's minimum operating level of 699.15 masl. as of October 30, 2015.
Pulangi IV is only producing 60 MW from 144 MW on October 26. While Agus hydropower plants are only producing 214 MW.
As of Friday, NGCP website bared that Mindanao system capacity is at 1,357 MW with a system peak of 1436 MW. The island's power reserve is at -79 MW while the peak deficiency is at 166 MW affecting different areas in the island is noted. source
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on October 31, 2015.