DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi
MANILA – The Department of Energy (DOE) has placed the Luzon grid under “yellow alert” until 3 p.m. Thursday.
The DOE said the grid’s reserve power declined following forced outages and the restriction of supply in the Malampaya natural gas field.
The department has forecasted sufficient power supply to meet the rising demand as quarantine measures further eased in Luzon but it added that the unplanned outages and the restrictions at the Malampaya gas field are alarming.
It said should forced outages persist, there would be a potential of a “red alert”.
The DOE said it has called on generation companies, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), and the natural gas fuel supplier to explain immediately.
“The energy industry must work together to ensure sufficient and stable power supply at all times. We also ask our industry players to approach us for any assistance. The department could fast-track the necessary restoration activities,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in a statement Thursday.
On Wednesday, the NGCP power outlook in Luzon for June 4 showed that the grid has an available generating capacity of 12,148 megawatts (MW), while system peak demand is projected at 10,382 MW, a 1,765 MW margin for the Luzon grid.
“We assure the public that we will exhaust all possible measures to help prevent power interruption from occurring during this challenging period,” Cusi added. (PNA)
