Mindanao to have longer blackouts

MANILA, Philippines - The Mindanao grid is facing an additional one to two hours of blackouts on top of the ongoing rotational power outages that the region is experiencing due to the right-of-way issues along major transmission facilities of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

This could mean an unstable power supply situation in the region during the May 2016 elections if left unresolved, officials of the grid operator said yesterday.

“It has reached a critical point for Mindanao, which is suffering from a deficiency in energy, and this problem aggravates the situation,” NGCP spokesperson and adviser for external affairs Cynthia Alabanza said yesterday.

On Oct. 17, NGCP’s Agus 2-Kibawe Line 1 in Lanao tripped after it was hit by a fallen tree, cutting the line conductors.

This adds to the three major transmission lines that stopped operating since July 2014 due to vegetation problems and uncooperative landowners, who did not allow NGCP personnel to clear and restore power lines in their property.

NGCP head of operations and management department Gildo Listano said only one transmission line remains, and that is necessary for the Agus hydroelectric power plants (HEPP) to supply power to the Mindanao grid, which is the Kibawe-Agus 2 138-kV Line 2.

If this facility goes out, at stake is the 260-megawatt (MW) supply from Agus HEPP Units 1 and 2.

“The 260 MW lost from the grid may spell one to two hours in rotating power interruptions all over the Mindanao grid, on top of what they are already suffering because of generation deficiency,” Alabanza said.

She said they are worried that the situation might get worse and affect supply during the May 2016 elections.  

The grid operator has been coordinating with government, through the Department of Energy, local government units, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

The NGCP is appealing to  local governments in Mindanao to pass an ordinance prohibiting the planting of trees under the power transmission lines.

The firm is urging the DOE and the Philippine Army to help convince landowners to allow their linemen to enter their property and fix the lines, as soon as possible.

“This is a big problem that calls for a multilateral solution,” Alabanza said.

The grid operator said the situation does not only affect the NGCP or the hydropower plants, but all the power consumers in the region who will suffer longer power interruptions.