Power plants to scale down operations to save on fuel

posted March 23, 2020 at 09:30 pm by Manila Standard
https://manilastandard.net/business/power-technology/320241/power-plants-to-scale-down-operations-to-save-on-fuel.html

San Miguel Corp. said Monday power plants will likely scale down operations to save on fuel and secure supply for the coming months.

The company, however, assured the public of sufficient power supply during the enhanced community quarantine period.

“We will continue to operate all our power facilities safely despite the challenges we face and make sure that we supply power where it’s needed. We have prepared for these types of situations and we are ready,” SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said in a statement.

Ang, who also heads power subsidiary SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., said while there was no issue with power supply today, it would be prudent for power facilities to save as much fuel to ensure continuous operations.

“The COVID-19 crisis is a worldwide issue, and while we all hope for a resolution soon, it’s better if we are prepared if it extends. If there is excess capacity today, particularly since major business and commercial centers and industries are practically shut down, then perhaps government can require power plants to only produce what is needed in order to save on fuel,” he said.

He said SMC’s facilities continued to operate 24/7 to provide uninterrupted supply.

SMC Global Power, one of the country’s leading and most reliable energy companies, owns and operates a multi-fuel portfolio of baseload power plants around the country.

Its power generation facilities are located in Bataan, Bulacan, Zambales and Davao Occidental. It also administers some 2,500 megawatts of capacity from Sual, Ilijan and San Roque plants.

“As far as our facilities are concerned, we can assure sufficient and uninterrupted capacity supplied to the Luzon and Mindanao grids,” Ang said.

SMC Global Power activated its business continuity plan to ensure constant supply, employee safety and operational reliability following the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

“Our plants are equipped to handle the demand for reliability. Protocols have been activated in our power plants as a response to crises such as pandemics,” Ang said.

“This enables our people to operate our facilities with the necessary guidance that ensures their health and safety during such times,” he said.

SMC Global Power said it was working with the Energy Department, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, local government units and law enforcement agencies on properly navigating through the enhanced community quarantine.

This includes close coordination on the movement of critical people and supplies needed for the continuity of power plant operations.

“We are here to help the government and the Filipino people in this fight. We want to make sure that every part of our business responds to the country’s needs,” Ang said.