MANILA – As yellow and red alerts continue to be issued over the Luzon power grid this summer due to thin reserves, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said that it expects the situation to normalize by September, when hydroelectric power plants go online.
“Projection-wise, September,” NGCP division head for power network planning Fidel Dagsaan Jr. said during a press briefing in Taguig City on Wednesday.
The NGCP made the forecast with the expectation that the rainy season will arrive in June or July, during which several hydroelectric power plants will go online.
“Maging operational ito around August or September so doon magpapasok naman,” Dagsaan said.
The NGCP has been issuing yellow and red alerts since last month, as demand increases due to the hot weather brought by the summer season and the El Niño phenomenon.
The usual increase in power demand was aggravated by the unplanned or forced outages of several power plants, which caused thinning of reserves.
For his part, Energy undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said that despite the projection that power situation will only normalize in September, the raising of yellow and red alerts will not be as frequent in June, July, and August as it has been in April and this month.
Likewise, the Energy official said that the projected highest peak demand for the Luzon grid will be in the coming week, or around May 20 to 24.
“Projection na pinakamataas na demand for summer is 11,400 megawatts. Hindi pa siya naabot pero nakikita namin next, May 20 to 24 ang pinakatodong demand sa Luzon,” Fuentebella said.
The DOE official said that supply in the coming week will be enough for the expected peak demand.
“Come next week ang projected supply is 12,171 MW… kapag nag-materialize ‘yung 11,400 MW peak demand definitely yellow alert pa rin,” Dagsaan said. (GMA News)
