No water, power shortage this summer

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manilans can enjoy the summer without worrying about water supply shortage and power interruptions.

The assurance was given by East Zone water concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. and the Department of Energy (DOE) despite the onset of summer, when water supply can become unstable and power reserves are expected to be stretched thin.

Manila Water said supply at Angat Dam remains at a comfortable level and will not trigger any water shortage in the next few months.

“As we speak, the level in Angat Dam is about 204 meters and that’s about six meters higher than the same period last year,” Manila Water spokesman Jeric Sevilla told reporters on the sidelines of the Water Philippines 2017 Conference which commenced yesterday in Pasay City.

Around 95 percent of Metro Manila’s water supply comes from Angat Dam, which discharges water at a rate of 40 cubic meters per second and is coursed through tunnels toward distributors Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water, both private concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

“Using that as an indication, our outlook for the summer months would be better so we don’t see any tightness or shortage of supply,” Sevilla said.

“If we go by the level of Angat, this year is much better,” he added.

Last summer, the country reeled from the effects of the El Niño phenomenon which adversely affected water supply not only in Metro Manila, but also in nearby areas.

Meanwhile, allocation for Manila Water customers remains at about 46 cubic meters per second.

“As of now, we’re OK and we’re getting what the allotment is for Manila Water,” Sevilla said.

Manila Water caters to the East Zone which encompasses parts of Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, most parts of Quezon City, portions of Manila, as well as several towns in Rizal.

Sevilla, however, clarified that the water supply outlook might change should the summer season become longer or should the rainy season set in late.

Demand-side management

On the other hand, the DOE is banking on demand-side management to get by summer without any power interruption amid the expected diminishing reserves during the season.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has issued the appropriate directives to the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, the Energy Utilization Management Bureau and the entire DOE to conduct a massive information, education and communication (IEC) drive.

The goal set by the DOE chief is to ensure implementation of an effective demand-side management program for energy supply.

“We have to give our consumers options on how to manage their use of energy without sacrificing their productivity,” Cusi said.

“The DOE is already conducting an IEC campaign to the top government load users like the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), etc. and energy tips for consumers,” Cusi said.

For consumers, the DOE urged households to employ energy saving tips as part of demand-side management such as reducing the use of air-conditioning systems or placing the thermostat at 25 degrees, which can generate savings ranging from P138.60 to P346.50.

Following the post-Malampaya scheduled maintenance shutdown coordination meeting among industry players, the DOE will continue the close coordination among the stakeholders in monitoring the entire energy supply chain.

“We are putting the same dedication like what we did when the Malampaya project went offline,” Cusi said. “We will be watching all plants and monitoring to make sure that we have the supply during summer.”

DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said power reserves are expected to be reduced starting April 22 until June 10 amid high demand.

To ensure delivery of power to consumers, the agency is working on the completion of power plants in time for the summer months.

It is also monitoring the output of the power plants through the conduct of performance assessment and audit.

The DOE has also placed the Malaya Thermal Power Plant as a back-up generation to ensure sufficiency of supply and prepared the Interruptible Load Program (ILP).

ILP serves as an option for distribution utilities like the Manila Electric Co. and electric cooperatives to ask their big load customers to serve their power needs by using their own generator sets to augment power supply capacity in times of red alert status or when power supply reserves are thin.