ILOILO City – The Department of Energy (DOE) warned of a repeat of last week’s blackout in Panay Island, Guimaras and parts of Negros if several transmission / interconnection projects are not completed in a timely manner, and if necessary corrective measures are not implemented.
These projects, mainly overseen by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), have been subject to delays, according to Undersecretary Sharon Garin during the Senate energy committee’s hearing on Wednesday afternoon on the blackout on the island in April 2023 and a repeat of it last week.
The key projects include various stages of the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) connection and the Negros-Panay interconnection Line 2 Project.
Particular attention is being given to the timely completion of the third stage of the CNP backbone project (CNP3). This stage involves establishing an overhead line between Negros and Cebu, as well as a submarine cable from San Carlos City to Toledo City, Cebu.
The completion of CNP3 is seen to prevent prolonged power blackouts. It would enable power supply from Cebu to augment Panay Island’s needs in case local power plants fail.
Garin lamented the troubling pattern of these outages.
“Pangalawang beses na po ito. It happened in April 2023. That is why we are so worried na for a third time. Sana wala na,” said Garin.
The entire CNP project involves constructing a 238-kilometer, 230kV capacity transmission line that connects Cebu, Negros and Panay. This also includes the expansion of three substations – the Barotac Viejo substation, E.B Magalona cable terminal station and Bacolod substation.
This is among 60 NGCP projects across the country currently experiencing delays mainly due to issues with rights of way, land acquisition, and construction.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued NGCP show cause orders for 37 of these projects.
INTERVENTIONS
Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara, also speaking at the hearing, outlined strategies to prevent future blackouts on Panay Island.
“The next three months are crucial. We wait for the NGCP to finish the CNP3 kasi puwedeng maulit na naman (blackout),” she said.
These strategies are the following:
* adjusting grid operation and maintenance programs to ensure a balance between supply and demand
* coordinating maintenance schedules with power plant generators to prevent blackouts
* allowing power plant generators to operate below full capacity
* working with NGCP to balance supply and demand protocols
Guevara also said the opening of a reserve market on Jan. 26 is expected to ensure full regulatory, dispatch, and contingency load capacity.
An auction for a capacity market, specifically targeting Panay and Negros, is also in the works. Guevara said this market is designed to provide additional megawatts to supplement the power supply in case of a blackout.
Ongoing monitoring of the CNP3 project’s completion and regular updates from NGCP are also part of the plan, said Guevara.
Additionally, Garin has recommended to Sen. Raffy Tulfo, chairman of the energy committee, a review of NGCP’s franchise.
A proposal was also put forward separating system operations from the transmission network, and revising penalty impositions.
Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. welcomed the recommendations, “especially the completion of CNP3.”
Iloilo province incurred economic losses estimated at P3,727,264,894 due to the power blackout from Jan. 2 to 5.
The losses covered all sectors, including residential, commercial and industrial, affecting entire communities, irrespective of their residential or commercial nature, according to the Provincial Planning and Development Office./PN
