No power outages this summer, but thin supply looms

PHOTO FROM NGCP

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy on Tuesday said there would be no power outages for electricity consumers in the Luzon grid this dry season.

The projected demand peak of 11,000 megawatts in May won’t likely be met because of a “sustained community quarantine situation,” said Dir. Mario Marasigan of Energy Power Industry Management Bureau in a Senate hearing.

Because of this, power outages are not expected for April, May, and June.

“Ang challenge po natin ay ‘yung maintenance and schedule ng power plants,” he told lawmakers.

(Our challenge would be in the maintenance and schedule of power plants.)

Last week, the DOE said there is a possibility of a yellow alert from mid-April to early May. This means there would be thinning reserves but power outages are not expected.

The agency also called on seven generation companies that were on outage since March to state when the plants would be able to resume operations:

•     Asia Pacific Energy Corporation
•     Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan Power Company Ltd.
•     Luzon Hydro Corporation
•     First Gas Power Corporation
•     GNPower Mariveles Center Ltd. Co.
•     Petron Corporation
•     Sem Calaca Power Corporation

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