ACTION PLAN. Electric Power Industry Management Bureau Director Mario Marasigan announces that the Department of Energy's (DOE) action plan has reversed the potential red alert status on the supply of the Luzon grid in April and the early days of May. DOE held a press conference at its headquarters in Taguig City on Friday (Feb. 21, 2020). (PNA photo by Kris Crismundo)
MANILA – The action plan rolled out by the Department of Energy (DOE) has blocked the potential extremely tight power supply in Luzon during the early months of summer, Electric Power Industry Management Bureau Director Mario Marasigan said.
In a press conference on Friday, Marasigan said the measures activated by the DOE since November last year have reversed its previous outlook to possibly raise red alert in April and May, except for its latter days.
“Combining the entire action plan, we have no red alert for April, and our potential (red alert) is in the month of June,” he said.
According to the DOE’s power supply and demand outlook for 2020, a red alert condition at the Luzon grid may be raised between May 29 and June 4, as well as June 19 and June 25.
“And this is just potential,” Marasigan said, adding that the DOE has directed power plants and transmission companies to avoid scheduling maintenance activities during summer, and instead move them before or after the season when electricity demand is at its peak.
He said part of the action plan is the possibility to increase the Luzon grid’s import from the Visayas through high-voltage direct-current transmission. This can contribute 100 megawatts (MW) to 150 MW to the supply in Luzon.
The DOE is also expanding the participation of the interruptible load program, which can supply 564 MW to Luzon, 64 MW to the Visayas, 58 MW to Mindanao, and 64 MW to direct connections.
Nearly 360 MW of power will also be conserved through the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program. (PNA)
