The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said consumers in northern and central Luzon should expect up to four hours of rotating brownouts while energy supply remains low.
Lilibeth Gaydowen, NGCP’s communications and public affairs officer for north Luzon, said load dropping was necessary to allocate available power and preserve the stability of the Luzon grid.
“We cannot allow power supply to hit rock-bottom to avoid a grid disturbance that may result in a grid-wide blackout,” she said.
As of 11:55 a.m. on Friday, the NGCP pegged the power capacity of the Luzon grid at 4,745 MW while demand was at 5,908 MW.
The rotating brownouts are implemented beginning today in distribution utilities in Regions I (Ilocos), II (Cagayan Valley) III (Central Luzon) and the Cordilleras.
Gaydowen said consumers in Ilocos provinces reported power outages of up to eight hours on Thursday.
“Energy generation remains fluctuating. We need to share our available energy while power plants remain off-line in south Luzon,” Gaydowen said.
Power service has yet to be fully restored after lines were cut by Typhoon “Glenda” which slammed a wide section of Luzon on Wednesday.
Gaydowen said the storm damaged at least 1,500 pole structures in south Luzon causing some power plants to go offline.
“NGCP linemen have been dispatched in the southern section to help restore transmission lines there,” she added.
Gaydowen said the NGCP expects to restore damaged transmission lines until July 22.
“But power outages will continue until all power plants go online,” she added.
Meanwhile, Ernest Vidal, NGCP’s public affairs officer for Pampanga, said two to four hours of power interruption will be implemented in North and Central Luzon until power supply turns to normal.
“Power outages are due to generation deficiency and damaged transmission lines of NGCP brought by typhoon Glenda,” said Vidal.
Vidal said the Luzon grid was placed on red alert because of reserve deficit of 1,163 megawatts.
A red alert is issued during severe power deficiency which means reserves are below the minimum level set by the regulator.
“Generation deficiency is beyond NGCP’s control but we do our best to mitigate the situation by implementing this grid-wide rotational bronwouts to maintain the grid’s security and reliability,” said Vidal. (MCA/JNP/ PIA1 La Union)
