Rotating blackouts hit Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Several areas in Metro Manila and Luzon experienced rotating brownouts yesterday after the Sual generation plant supplying power to the Manila Electric Co. was shut down.

The rotating brownout was also caused by the shutdown of the 540 megawatt Limay power plant, the outage of the Calaca power plant “due to boiler tube leak” and the ongoing maintenance work on the Ilijan power plant.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines has put the whole Luzon grid on “red alert” due to the power deficiency, but NGCP deputy assistance chief technical officer Carlito Claudio said they expect the power supply to normalize today.

He said Unit 1 of the Sual coal-fired power plant, which developed “feedwater pump trouble,” is expected to be repaired by 5 p.m. today. Unit 2 was shut down on Jan. 8 due to the lack of coal supply, which is due to arrive soon, Claudio said.

Among the areas affected by the rotating brownouts are Sta. Ana, Pandacan, Sta. Mesa, Quiapo, Tondo and Sta. Cruz in Manila; Palanan in Makati; Barangays South Triangle, Paltok, San Francisco del Monte in Quezon City; portions of Sta. Cruz, San Pablo and San Pedro in Laguna and Guiguinto, Plaridel, Norzagaray and Angat in Bulacan.    – Donnabelle Gatdula