Meralco Bolsters Preparedness for El Niño, Renews Call for Demand-Side Management

As the El Niño phenomenon intensifies across the Philippines, Meralco has assured its customers of its readiness to address the anticipated surge in electricity demand. The country’s largest distribution utility is working closely with the Department of Energy, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, power suppliers, and other relevant stakeholders to monitor developments and mitigate the impact on consumers.

Meralco has been proactively implementing all necessary measures to ensure supply availability and manage upward pressure on electricity prices given the expected increase in demand due to higher temperatures. As part of its preparations, Meralco has contracted sufficient supply to meet the requirements of its over 8.3 million customers.

According to Meralco vice president and head of Utility Economics Lawrence S. Fernandez, the distribution utility expects additional capacity to augment its current contracted supply. This will come from a completed competitive selection process for 200 MW of baseload capacity, and the scheduled 250MW increase in supply coming from MTerra Solar — the world’s largest solar power and energy battery storage facility project operating in the country.

“With higher temperatures expected during the El Niño, we anticipate increase in electricity demand. We therefore call on our customers to be mindful of their consumption and to practice energy efficiency, which will also help in managing their electricity bills,” Meralco vice president and head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said.

Readying the distribution network

Meralco works relentlessly to ensure that its facilities are in good condition through regular maintenance activities, as well as upgrades and improvements to its distribution network.

Part of Meralco’s infrastructure hardening efforts is replacing aging transformers and secondary lines as well as old post insulators to address capacity and loading-related concerns. Meralco crews also conduct regular trimming of trees surrounding distribution facilities to reduce the risk of falling branches and debris that could cause power interruptions.

The power distributor is also accelerating the commissioning of additional feeders to relieve critically loaded circuits, and distribution automation circuit segmentation efforts which are designed to minimize the number of affected customers during incidents of power interruptions.

To ensure timely response to possible electricity service concerns that may arise during El Niño, Meralco has sufficient inventory of line materials for regular maintenance activities and has also increased the stock of commonly used materials for power restoration activities. The distribution utility is also prepared to increase the field deployment of personnel and crews to attend to customer concerns.

Demand-side management

Just like during the dry season when temperatures rise and consumption spikes, demand-side management plays an important role in managing a tight supply situation.

As a contingency measure, Meralco continues to encourage more businesses and industrial establishments to participate in the government’s Interruptible Load Program (ILP), which supports demand-side management during periods of tight power supply.

Under the ILP, participating large-load customers use their own generator sets or temporarily shift their operations instead of drawing electricity from the grid when needed. This helps free up available power supply for other customers, particularly households, during Red Alert conditions or when available supply is insufficient to meet demand, helping reduce the risk of power interruptions.

Meralco is also empowering its customers with energy efficiency knowledge and tools that they can use not just during El Niño but all year long:

Air-conditioning units

• Optimize temperature setting. The Department of Energy (DOE) recommends a 25°C setting for aircon units. For every one degree lower in thermostat setting, savings may reach up to 5 percent to 7 percent of total aircon operating cost.

• Observe proper maintenance. Check refrigerant and air ducts for leaks. Clean evaporator filters and condenser fins regularly. Follow the prescribed maintenance schedule of your aircon unit.

Refrigerators

• Don’t overfill: A refrigerator operates at peak efficiency when optimally filled. Keep the refrigerator full to at least two-thirds capacity. Do not overload to allow for proper air circulation of the cool air inside.

• Store food properly: Do not put hot food in the refrigerator. Storing hot food can cause the appliance’s compressor to work harder to reach the desired cooling temperature.

Lighting

• Utilize natural light. Use natural light when and where possible. Turn off lights when not in use.

• Go LED. Replace inefficient lighting systems such as incandescent bulbs with light emitting diode (LED) lights.

Washing Machine

• Optimize use. Maximize the operation of your washing machine by washing at full to near-full loads. Refrain from overloading the washing machine as it will reduce the cleaning action and water circulation

• Refrain from over washing. Do not over wash clothes by following the appropriate washing machine settings for the type of fabric vis-à-vis load

“Through simple energy efficient practices, we can help ensure reliable service while promoting sustainability and resilience in the face of both seasonal and global challenges,” Zaldarriaga said.

Aside from energy efficiency tips, Meralco also empowers its customers to better manage their electricity use with the help of the Appliance Calculator available in the My Meralco App which provides information about the power consumption and cost of using different appliances.

Customers can report their electricity service concerns through the My Meralco app or through Meralco’s official social media accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meralco) and X (@meralco). They may also text their concerns to 0920-9716211 or 0917-5516211 or contact the Meralco Hotline at 16211.