Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 20) — A Department of Energy (DOE) official on Saturday assured that power supply on Panay Island is stable, explaining that the warning of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) of a possible rotational brownout was only a “precautionary measure.”
“Stable po ang grid system natin, may ample supply tayo, walang kakulangan, at every 30 minutes po mino-monitor namin iyong sitwasyon,” DOE Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said of the Panay sub-grid. “At mayroon pang mga oras na nag-e-export pa ang Panay papunta ng Negros.”
[Translation: Our grid system is stable. We have ample supply and there’s no shortage. We are monitoring the situation every 30 minutes. There are also times that the Panay sub-grid is exporting supply to Negros.]
Marasigan said the warning should not be seen as “alarming.”
“Iyon pong statement na lumabas ay sana po ang pick-up ng marami o iyong pagkakaintindi ng marami ay it’s just a precautionary measure,” he added.
[Translation: I hope that many understood the statement as just a precautionary measure.]
Marasigan was referring to the NGCP’s statement on Wednesday, when it announced the manual load dropping (MLD) or rotational brownout in Negros and Panay sub-grid at 6:48 p.m, which lasted for 20 minutes.
Marasigan said the 150-megawatt Panay Energy Development Corporation Unit 3 may have experienced a boiler tube leak, causing its unplanned outage.
“The unresolved internal issues of the remaining major power plants (PEDC Units 1 and 2, and PCPC) that precipitated the January 2 incident qualify as a significant threat to system security following a credible N-1 event, and justifies manual intervention by the System Operator NGCP under Philippine Grid Code Section 6.2.3.4.,” the corporation explained at that time.
“However, following DOE and ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) instructions, another MLD may be implemented in the event of the tripping of another large plant in the Panay sub-grid,” the NGCP warned.
On Jan. 2, multiple tripping of power plants on Panay Island caused a region-wide power outage. Residents had to grapple with electricity woes until Jan. 5.
Many lawmakers and even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. blamed the NGCP for the mess.
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