ILOILO City – Blackouts may not be totally avoided but its duration may be shortened.
MORE Power Barge Inc. and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) have a joint application with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for ancillary service which aims to start up power generators during blackouts in Panay Island.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Energy and Public Utilities here conducted a hearing on the Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASPA) between the two companies, with prayer for the issuance of a five-year provisional authority.
The parties specifically applied for a Black Start Ancillary Service (BSAS) – the power barge will provide energy to Panay Island’s power generation plants for them to start up and restore power during blackouts.
“Kami ma-provide power sa grid para mag-start ang mga planta nga dalagko nga naga-connect diri sa Panay grid in case zero power gid ang transmission system,” said Engineer Randy Pastolero, MORE Power Barge vice president.
Pastolero said the MORE Power barge can provide up to 24 megawatts of power to the 69 kilovolt (KV) transmission line of the NGCP in the Panay grid.
All the power plants in Panay Island such as the Palm Concepcion Power Corporation in Concepcion, Iloilo and the Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC) will depend on the BSAS so they can run and restart their auxiliaries.
Through the ancillary service, Pastolero said, power plants can be powered up as soon as possible and will no longer have to wait for power from Negros. He added that the priority of the Black Start Service is to start up the power plants; NGCP controls the dispatch.
“Kon waay ang power barge, assuming nga nag-blackout, ang PEDC mahulat pa sang power halin sa Negros para maka-obtain sya, ma-energize ang aton power grid. Once ma-energize, ang PEDC makwa na sang iya supply para sa iya auxiliaries para makasugod start up ang iya coal plant,” Pastolero cited, for instance.
MORE Power Barge Inc. is a sister company of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), Iloilo City’s sole power distributor, under Prime Strategic Holdings Corporation of business tycoon Enrique Razon.
On the other hand, committee chairperson Councilor Romel Duron, said the committee would eventually pass a resolution endorsing the ASPA application and for the ERC to conduct its hearing so that the Ilonggos will fully understand the proposed ancillary service.
“We have to endorse kay kinahanglanon ini. This is good for Panay,” he said./PN
