With the adverse effects of the El Niño phenomenon still being felt nationwide, the Department of Energy (DoE) has directed all power industry stakeholders to guarantee uninterrupted services and zero brownouts amid the dry spell.

This comes as Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla issued twin advisories on 1 April, urging all players to have “all hands on deck” as the country navigates through the dry months when power demand historically shoots up.

Based on the first order, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), as the transmission operator, should avert grid interruptions and disturbances as experienced in the past and prepare for potential power supply issues and threats.

“NGCP, concurrently as the transmission network provider, shall complete all major transmission projects as scheduled in the first half of 2024, including the Hermosa-San Jose 500 kV Transmission Project, on or before the dates set in the latest Transmission Development Plan,” the advisory read.

“NGCP shall expedite the processing and approval for the testing and commissioning of new generation facilities to enable the entry of additional capacity to the grid,” it added.

Likewise, the generation companies were told to comply with the DoE-approved Grid Operating and Maintenance Program and strictly observe the outage allowance.

Meanwhile, the distribution utilities should comply with the Philippine Distribution Code and ensure the continuous operation of distribution systems by the rules and regulations of the Energy Regulatory Commission.

On the other hand, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) should formulate mechanisms to capacitate electric cooperatives to effectively and efficiently provide distribution services to consumers.

Demand management sought

In the second advisory, Lotilla urged the NGCP and all DUs to activate their respective Interruptible Load Programs (ILP).

Under the DoE policy, they are required to register their ILP participants and ensure that those new to the program receive support.

The NEA was also called upon to assist the electric cooperatives in implementing the ILP.

The ILP is an energy demand-side management program that aims to reduce strain on the grid by encouraging large-load customers to use their generator sets or reduce their operations during Red Alerts or when the supply is insufficient to meet the demand. This helps to spare households from power interruptions.

For its part, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has assured its participation in the program to collectively alleviate the strain on the grid.

One hundred five companies are enrolled in the ILP within the Meralco franchise, equivalent to 530 megawatts (MW) of total de-loading capacity.

Under Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, the DoE must secure the power supply and monitor private sector activities relative to energy projects.

Early this week, DoE Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said the government is confident the dry months will stabilize as more supply is slated.

Marasigan said several power plants will become operational, adding over 300 MW of power to the grid in the next few months. Among these are the Mariveles coal plant with a capacity of 150 MW, several hydropower projects with a combined capacity of around 20 MW, a geothermal binary project with a capacity of 29 MW, and solar power projects with a combined capacity of 104 MW.