Total average demand for the period rose 8.9 percent to 15,651 megawatts from 14,376 MW as average supply increased by 3.06 percent to 19,786 MW from 19,199 MW. This pushed the power margin for the period down by 19.3 percent to 2,966 MW from 3,677 MW
The average power rates at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) are on a spike this month due to lower power margins amid higher demand.
Latest data from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) showed that the average price per kilowatt hour (kWh) in WESM nationwide clocked in at P7.85 as of 19 May.
The rates already represented a 13.8 percent higher from full month April's P6.90 per kWh.
IEMOP said that total average demand in the country for the period went up by 8.9 percent to 15,651 megawatts (MW) from 14,376 MW as average supply increased by 3.06 percent to 19,786 MW from 19,199 MW. This pushed down the power margin for the period by 19.3 percent to 2,966 MW from 3,677 MW.
Figures not final
According to IEMOP, the figures are still not final and are subject to change.
With the weather bureau announcing the imminent transition to the wet season soon, the market operator said a decline in power demand may be observed in the coming months.
On Tuesday, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines placed the Luzon and Visayas grids under yellow alerts as 45 power plant units were on either forced outage or de-rated with a total unavailable capacity of 2,589.9 megawatts (MW).
Yellow alert was raised in the Luzon Grid yesterday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. as 18 power plant units and six more with de-rated capacities resulted in the unavailability of 2,075.8 MW in the region.
Meanwhile, yellow alert was also raised in the Visayas Grid from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as 16 power plant units were on forced outage and five more with de-rated capacities for a total lost capacity of 514.1 MW in the region.
Alerts raised
According to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the alerts were raised as available capacity in the Luzon Grid was only at 14,687 MW compared to a peak demand of 13,507 MW and as available capacity in the Visayas Grid was only 2,933 MW against a peak demand of 2,614 MW.
Yellow alerts are issued when the level of power reserve in the grid is low and power interruptions are not yet imminent.
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