In Mindanao, not even coal offers solution to power lack
DAVAO CITY—Not even a highly polluting source of electricity, coal, can be relied on to ease the shortage of power in Mindanao, parts of which are currently suffering up to six hours of rotating brownouts.
The power firm State Power Inc. (SPI) of Steag said it could not yet resume operations of its coal-fired plant to generate at least 105 megawatts of electricity that is badly needed in Mindanao, which is currently suffering from a shortage of at least 300 MW of power.
Dr. Carsten Evers, SPI power plant manager, said that while repair and restoration work on units of the SPI coal facility were “substantially completed, the company needs more time to ensure that the units are in excellent condition.”
Art Milan, executive vice president and corporate operating officer of Davao Light and Power Co. (DLPC), told a forum here on Friday that DLPC was looking forward to the resumption of operations of the SPI facility as it would add 105 MW to the Mindanao grid and ease rotating brownouts.
Milan, at a forum with Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and other city officials, said that had the SPI facility been operating, “we might no longer experience brownouts during off-peak hours.”
In the city alone, according to Milan, the supply of electricity is 113 MW short of the average 330-MW daily demand.
DLPC is owned by the Aboitiz Group, which operates power-generating plants.
Evers said SPI might finally recommission its under-repair unit on June 1.
“We apologize for this delay and rest assured that we are doing everything we can to bring the units back to the grid,” Evers said.
Two identical power generation units of the SPI coal-fired power plants, each having a capacity of 105 MW, have been undergoing repairs after suffering damage to its turbines during a Mindanao-wide brownout on Feb. 24. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao
