Midterms won’t be cursed by darkness

The key days for the midterm polls will be shielded from electricity service interruptions, as distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) unveiled measures to prevent outages.

In an interview on Straight Talk, the online program of Daily Tribune, Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said the company has intensified its preparations to maintain power stability during the crucial period, especially on 12 May, Election Day.

He said Meralco has been working closely with government agencies, including the Commission on Elections (Comelec), and has extended its coordination to the barangay level.

As part of its preparations, the company also participated in Comelec’s mock polls last January.

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“I am hopeful that so far, we will not have rotating interruptions. As far as Meralco is concerned, we are covered and make sure our customers are covered,” Zaldarriaga said.

“We have been working non-stop to ensure that power remains stable and uninterrupted before, during, and after the elections. You know how crucial the power supply is,” he added.

Zaldarriaga said Meralco continues to upgrade its facilities and intensify maintenance activities to meet the higher electricity demand during the dry season. He expects demand to ease by July but emphasized that summer remains a critical time for the energy sector.

“Even in the past, we were continuously upgrading our maintenance activities to ensure our facilities could handle the increase in demand,” he said. “By July, the demand may decrease but this summer is crucial for us.”

Generators plus flood lights

To mitigate any unforeseen power issues on election day, Meralco will deploy generator sets and flood lights in key areas. “Rest assured you can count on our crews 24/7,” Zaldarriaga added.

He also said Meralco’s generation partners and suppliers have committed to supporting the grid throughout the election period.

As part of its demand-side management strategy, Meralco is promoting energy efficiency and continues to enlist large customers under the Interruptible Load Program, which allows them to use their own power sources to ease grid pressure.

The Department of Energy (DoE) has formed an election task force in coordination with the Comelec to ensure that power plants operate at full capacity during the polls.

The DoE will not allow major plant repairs or maintenance at least one week before and after election day.

The energy department is also inspecting transmission lines, preparing backup power solutions such as solar lamps and generators, and urging the public to conserve energy during peak hours — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m.

According to the DoE, Luzon’s power demand could peak at 14,769 megawatts, up from 14,016 MW last year. In the Visayas, demand may reach 3,111 MW from 2,641 MW, while Mindanao’s peak demand could climb to 2,789 MW from 2,577 MW.