NGCP: Power stable after Leyte quake

Power transmission services in Leyte remained stable despite a 5.1-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, the second to hit the province in two months, according to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

In a statement, NGCP said its services in Leyte and neighboring provinces were normal, noting that “[the Visayas] grid remained intact as there had been no reported cases of power interruptions.”

Even then, the grid continues to experience the effects of the previous earthquake that hit Eastern Visayas region in July. On Tuesday, NGCP put the Visayas grid on red alert, as the expected peak of 1,827 megawatts exceeded the available generating capacity that was pegged at 1,679 MW.

The deficiency was due to unavailability of some units of earthquake-affected geothermal plants in Leyte and limited capacity of power plants on Panay Island, it said. —RONNEL W. DOMINGO