Reyes to meet power stakeholders in Visayas, Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes will meet with key power stakeholders in the Visayas and Mindanao to address power generation issues in the two major island groups.  

Both island groups have been experiencing rotating brownouts.

Reyes noted that as a measure against rotating brownouts in the Visayas, Cebu Energy Development Corp. (CEDC) has constructed three new 82 megawatt coal-fired power plants, the first of which will come online by March 2010.

He said the two remaining units totaling 164 MW will be operational before the year ends.  

Another measure in place for Cebu, Reyes said, is the 200-MW Kepco-Salcon power plant in Naga City, Cebu.

The energy chief warned that Mindanao might experience more brownouts if the effects of the El Niño phenomenon worsen.

 “It is important for us to go and organize these meetings and to find viable solutions. Not only are we addressing these power issues because of the elections but because power is essential to development,” Reyes said.

He said the Department of Energy (DOE) will put on its watchlist all the hydroelectric power plants in the country, particularly those located in Mindanao, to ensure reliable power supply amidst the threat of the El Niño phenomenon. 

Reyes earlier ordered a strict monitoring of all hydropower plants in the country to prevent the adverse impact of the El Niño.

“The hydropower plants will have to be monitored, we have to see to it that they are operating and that they are delivering the right amount of power given the constraint imposed on the amount of water that will be available to them,” he said.

Reyes said some parts of Mindanao are ironically with no power although most of the big hydro facilities are located there.

The National Power Corp. (Napocor) is running Agus 1-6 hydropower complex in Mindanao, with Unit 4 currently down.

The government has so far privatized 12 hydropower plants. Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or Republic Act 9136, the Agus complex will be put on the auction block in 2011, or 10 years after the signing of the EPIRA. The Agus complex total capacity is over 700 MW or about half of the 1,500-MW dependable capacity of the entire Mindanao province.      — Donabelle L. Gatdula