No assurance yet for stable power: Brownouts seen to continue today

CEBU, Philippines – Cebuanos can expect more brownouts, at least until today, in the absence of any assurance from the different power players that the situation has already stabilized.

Two-hour rotating brownouts have been implemented in the franchise area of the Visayan Electric Company the past two days following the loss of 160 megawatts from two power plants of the Cebu Energy Development Corporation in Toledo city whose connection to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines tripped-off Tuesday for still unexplained reasons.

The trip-off isolated the two crucial power plants of CEDC from the rest of the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid.

NGCP cannot determine yet as to when will the power outages will last, as it projected a 180 to 200 megawatts power shortage today in the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid.

The projected power shortfall however could not be confirmed by NGCP.

NGCP corporate communications officer Edna Legaspina cannot confirm this as of 8:30 p.m. yesterday as she still has to wait for the report of their Systems Operation.

The Freeman was told about the projected shortfall, but the source refused to be identified as the said information is confidential.

The source however said that the said power advisory came from NGCP.

Legaspina for her part said that NGCP is still investigating the cause why the NGCP's Naga-Sigpit transmission line tripped-off the other day at 2:00 am but was however restored at 7:30 am on the same day.

As a result of the transmission line's tripping off, the two coal-fired power plant of Cebu Energy Development Corporation, that have a combined capacity of 160 megawatts went offline from the CNP grid the other day.

As of last night, CEDC corporate communications officer Mae Melchor said that operators and technical people were still having a meeting to investigate the problem.

CEDC in their power advisory as of 10 a.m. yesterday stated Unit I is already producing 50 megawatts and the load is continually increasing.

Melchor said that while Unit 1 is already stabilized, their Unit 2 will proceed with its start-up procedure.

"CEDC is doing its best to immediately restore its two 82 MW power units which were shutdown due to the line problem of NGCP's Naga-Sigpit transmission line," Melchor said.

Natera said that out of VECO's power supply agreement with CEDC of 105 megawatts, the latter was only able to deliver 48 megawatts.

VECO has a total power demand 270 megawatts during peak periods in their franchise area, which covers Metro Cebu - Liloan in the north and San Fernando in the south.

VECO's franchise service covers an area of about 672 square kilometers with an estimated population of 1.73 million.

Natera said that aside from CEDC, they have a power supply contract with the National Power Corporation of 231 megawatts, but yesterday they only received 78.5 megawatts.

VECO also got 60 megawatts from the Cebu Private Power Corporation and another 10 megawatts from East Asia Power Utilities.

Natera said that as a result of power supply deficiency, they are left with no choice but to resort to two-hour rotation brownouts yesterday and the other day. - with Ria Booc/NLQ (FREEMAN)