Power supply assured during vaccine rollout

Published February 4, 2021, 7:00 AM by Myrna M. Velasco
https://mb.com.ph/2021/02/04/power-supply-assured-during-vaccine-rollout/

The Department of Energy (DOE) is giving its word that brownouts will not hamstring the anticipated COVID-19 vaccine rollouts in the coming months, so the country can finally sneak away from the reins of the pandemic.
According to Energy Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella, the department is working on a “triple safeguard” at ensuring electricity supply throughout the government-underpinned inoculation program, so vaccine storage as well as administration will not suffer from drawbacks.

Under the targeted set-up during the vaccination program, “there would be three power back-ups,” the energy official said.

He explained that “the first line would be coming from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP); the second from the distribution utilities; while the third and final back-up would be from the generators provided by the facility itself or the local government unit.”

As emphasized, reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply would be crucial in sustaining the integrity and efficacy of the vaccines – especially so since there are vaccine brands that even require up to negative 70 degrees in temperature for storage.

Joe Zaldarriaga, vice president and spokesperson of biggest power utility firm Manila Electric Company (Meralco) indicated that they have been seamlessly working with government “in ensuring that power supply would remain reliable, stable and uninterrupted, especially in the areas where the vaccines in our franchise area will be located.”

Aside from Meralco and other private distribution utilities (DUs), the energy department is similarly engaging the support of the electric cooperatives (ECs) in powering up the country as the vaccination process gains headway.

Being a ‘backline core’ in resolving the health crisis, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi pointed out that the department as well as the whole chain of energy stakeholders already “acknowledged (their) role once the country implements its Covid-19 vaccine program.”

The planning, according to the energy chief, kicked off early part of last month via the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER) that is under the supervision of Undersecretary Alexander S. Lopez.

Cusi emphasized “we will fully support our healthcare professionals, our local government units, and all our frontliners in this endeavor.”

He nevertheless admitted that they cannot totally commit that predicaments will not happen, but what is paramount is the calculated and ‘pragmatic approach’ that the government has already been sorting out for that important undertaking.

As Cusi sounded off “it would be foolish to totally eliminate or disregard the possibility for problems to arise. What we want is to equip the energy family with the solutions to address them in a swift and effective manner.”