Veco: Expect power outages until yearend

CEBU, Philippines - Power consumers in Cebu will continue to experience rotating brownouts until the commissioning of the new power plants next year because of insufficient power supply.

Ethel Natera, spokesperson of the Visayan Electric Company, said that until the new power plants of the Cebu Energy Development Corporation and the Korean Power Corporation are embedded into the Cebu-Negros-Panay Grid, electric consumers will continue to experience rotating brownouts.

The new power plants of CEDC and Kepco are expected to supply additional 200 megawatts to the grid. Last night the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines reported a 170-megawatt power supply deficit wherein 104 megawatts was shared by VECO.

As a result, Natera said, they were forced to implement rotation brownouts in their franchise area.

"Duna gyud deficiency sa generation," Natera said adding, "Next year tingali stable na ato power supply. Musolod na man ang Kepco and the other units of CEDC," Natera told The Freeman.

CEDC have three units of coal-fired power plant in Toledo City which is capable of supplying 246 megawatts. One of the three units is already on-line and is now supplying 80 megawatts.

The two other units are expected to go on line by the end of May and December 2011. By then, it is expected to supply additional 219 mw to the Visayas grid which will bring down the energy demand and reserve deficit to only 17 mw from the current 233 mw.  (FREEMAN NEWS)