Total power shutdown grips entire Bohol anew as the highest power generation plant with only a capacity of 12 megawatts tripped at 9:23 last night due to overloading.
Bohol Light Company, Inc. attributed it to the fact that use of power supply exceeded the capacity of the Bohol Diesel Power Plant of Salcon Power Corp. in Dampas, Tagbilaran City.
Bohol currently has four dependable power generators- -the BDPP and Boheco’s three hydro-power plants in Hanopol that produces 4.8MW, Sevilla that produces 2.3MW, and Loboc hydro that produces 1.1MW.
The four power generation plants inside Bohol can produce a total of 20.2MW.
Bohol has current power demand 79MW, but will reach 83.5MW if the consumption of Alturas Group of Companies is included.
BLCI had been trying to restore power distribution since last to proceed, at least, with the rationing of electricity to its consumers depending on the available supply.
After it was assessed that actual power consumption exceeded the capacity of BDP, the BLCI appealed to consumers to “minimize usage of electricity only if necessary, so that they will be able to maximize available supply”.
Some areas of Poblacion 3, Poblacion 2, and Cogon have been on rotation in getting power supply depending on the available power from BDPP.
As of 2:20 p.m. yesterday, the increasing demand prompted the Area Control Center (ACC) to request BLCI to implement additional load drop, affecting areas served through Feeder C- -along JA Clarin St. from corner Tamblot St. to New City Hall; Calceta St., G. Lamdagan St, F. Torralba St., Aumentado Rd., and the area at the back of Governors Mansion.
Time of restoration time may vary according to the demand in the franchise area and available supply from SIPC-BDPP.
At 1 pm yesterday, BLCI also shutdown power supply in Feeders B and F, affecting part of Pob.3 (part of R. Enerio St., Tamblot St., part of B. Inting St.); CPG North Ave. (from corner Tamblot St. to FCB-Taloto); B. Aquino Ave., T. Cloma Ave.; part of Cogon (New Calceta, Glovasa St., and Airport Rd. for Feeder B; and the whole of Mansasa, whole of Bool, whole of Poblacion.1, part of Poblacion 2 (along Gallares St.); and CPG East Ave. for Feeder F.
BLCI targeted to restore power in these areas by to 7pm, but they had difficulty meeting the targeted restoration time as they had to depend on the demand of the franchise area and available supply from BDPP.
Bohol is currently on its own now as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) also encountered hitches in their transmission facilities in Leyte.
As of At 7:20 pm yesterday , “NGCP initially energized the Marshalling Substation of the Energy Development Corp. in Leyte to provide feedback power to EDC’s Upper Mahiao and Malitbog geothermal power plants”.
However, the line was de-energized at 7:41 p.m. yesterday at EDC’s request due to technical difficulties by a still undetermined cause. Due to weather condition and location of the substation, inspection and corresponding corrective repair, if any, will resume today,” according to NGCP..
During yesterday’s meeting presided by Gov. Edgar Chatto, the Bohol Energy Development Advisory Group (BEDAG) tackled concerns on the cost of bringing the power barge from Davao to Bohol as additional source of power and how much will the consumers have to pay in two scenarios- -a short-term or long-term basis.
Bringing in the power barge is one of the option being raised during the BEDAG meeting.
At first, BEDAG debated on the possibility that the power barge would only be useless if the NGCP will be able to succeed with the bypass line that will bring power supply from Cebu to Leyte and then to Bohol.
However, strong aftershocks in Leyte yesterday damaged six transformers of NGCP, making it impossible to meet the target of bringing power to Bohol from Leyte by July 16.
NGCP continued to test the switching station in Ormoc High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) switching station.
“Restoration activities may be delayed due to inclement weather and aftershocks that may be felt in the area. Apart from ensuring the safety of the linemen, high voltage equipment for repair are highly sensitive to motion and moisture brought by unfavorable weather conditions,” according to NGCP.
NGCP added that as of 2 p.m. yesterday, “testing in Ormoc Substation has revealed that all 6 transformers in the NGCP facility have been damaged by the earthquake, which was upgraded to intensity 8 by PHILVOLCS”.
“NGCP is now planning to transport transformers from Cebu to Ormoc Substation in order to replace the damaged transformers to be able to distribute power to the affected islands of Leyte, Samar, Bohol, and Biliran, the advisory from Leyte stated.
“NGCP, in coordination with EDC, is currently preparing for the energization of EDC’s Marshalling substation. Once EDC completes testing and receives feedback power, the Upper Mahiao and Malitbog geothermal plants, with a combined capacity of 129.5 MegaWatts (MW), will be energized and ready to supply power after 16-18 hours of preparation, to be counted from the time feedback power is received.”
“Engr. Brando Fajardo, NGCP chief Leyte-Samar Grid, confirmed that three of its four 138 kV substation transformers in Ormoc were all unserviceable after sustaining damages due to the 6.5 earthquake. Fajardo added that another 69kV transformer was also damaged. This means that even if power from Cebu becomes available through the newly constructed by-pass line, electricity can not be delivered yet to the consumers as of the time being,” the earthquake advisory from Leyte stated.
It was explained that “power from Cebu or from any other power plants must pass through these substations before they can be safely used by the consumers”, as stated in the advisory.