Power generation deficiency remains the concern of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in its power transmission services.
NGCP explained that the earthquake-affected geothermal plants in Leyte could not be tapped yet, although loading in Region 8 and Bohol have already been in place.
Loading from the coal-fired power plant of Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) is also loading gradually.
However, its Power Situation Outlook for Visayas as of yesterday, NGCP remains positive that the system capacity can meet the highest demand or load.
In its Power Situation Outlook for Visayas as of yesterday, NGCP posted 1827 megawatts (MW) for System capacity and 1748 MW for System Peak, leaving a reserve of 79 MW.
For the whole day yesterday, System capacity in the morning was 1723 MW, 1726 MW in the afternoon, and 1667 MW in the evening.
The System Peak or the highest demand or load was 1680 MW in the morning, 1700 MW in the afternoon, and 1691 MW in the evening.
The reserve was 43 MW in the morning, 26 MW in the afternoon, and negative (-)24 in the evening.
For the weekly outlook for Visayas, from August 5-11, based on its assessment as of August 04, NGCP projected the capacity at only 19 MW daily.
The 15 MW will come from diesel power plants, while the 4 MW will come from hydro power plants.
Import from Leyte was 49 MW yesterday, then it is projected to be 43 MW today, 52 MW on Monday, 53 MW on Tuesday, 53 MW again on Wednesday, 56 MW on Thursday, and 57 MW on Friday.
Based on these figures, NGCP projected the system load at 67 MW for yesterday, 61 MW for today, 70 MW for Monday, 71 MW for Tuesday, 71 MW again on Wednesday, 74 MW for Thursday, and 75 MW for Friday.
NGCP expected zero reserve or deficiency and limitations during the period.
The daily required regulating reserve for the period is placed at 3 MW, except today which is placed at 2 MW.
The daily required contingency reserve is 4 MW until Friday, while the required dispatchable reserve daily for the period is also 4 MW.
The Visayas grid had been on red alert since July 31, with available capacity falling short to meet the peak demand, especially in the evening.
On Thursday, August 3, the available capacity was 1,828 MW while the peak demand was 1,840MW from 5 pm-10 pm.
It was attributed to “generation deficiency resulting from limited output of one generating unit of Palm Concepcion Power Plant (PCPC) and unavailability of some units of geothermal plants in Leyte”.
NGCP Visayas Communication Officer Betty Martinez explained that they had been “working to restore the earthquake-damaged converter station in Ormoc to allow import of power from Luzon”.
On July 31, the available capacity was 1,735 megawatts while the peak demand then was 1,987 megawatts.
A short blackout was experienced past 7 pm on July 31 as the Visayas grid was on red alert from 4 pm-10 pm.
On August 1, the available capacity improved to 1,742 MW while the peak demand was 1,868 MW. The Visayas grid was on alert from 1pm to 10 pm then.
According to NGCP, the Visayas grid was on red alert due to generation deficiency resulting from temporary unavailability of one generating unit from Palm Concepcion Power Plant (PCPC) and some units from geothermal plants in Leyte.
“In addition, no generation could then be imported from Luzon as NGCP is still working on repairing the earthquake- damaged converter station in Ormoc,” according to the NGCP advisory.
Martinez said NGCP continues to advise the public to contact their local distribution utilities (DU) for more information as some areas will experience rotational power interruptions because of the generation deficiency.
NGCP monitors grid condition real time but they do forecasting and they issue official written notices for actual conditions on connected loads to inform about grid alert condition, Martinez added.
She also said that if they would request reduction of load, they also issue written notices when needed such as when there is generation or supply deficiency.
When NGCP fixed Ormoc transformers, they energized the Region 8 and Bohol areas, but the earthquake-affected geothermal plants had not fully resumed yet, according to Martinez.
NGCP’s Luzon link then was also temporarily out since the coal-fired power plant of Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) could only utilize one unit and had to make the loading gradual.
PCPC has two 135MW coal-fired power plants.