Mindanao to get 70-MW boost from Agus units

National Power Corp. (Napocor) is fast-tracking the repair and maintenance work of two generating units of the Agus hydroelectric power plant complex to provide additional power this month to the Mindanao grid.

Napocor-MinGen was able to bring back to the grid Unit 2 of Agus 1, which has a dependable capacity of 20 megawatts, on May 14.

Unit 3 of Agus 6 in Iligan City, which can produce 50 MW, is expected to be available on May 17.

In a statement, Napocor said it was speeding up repairs through its Mindanao Generation Group (MinGen) due to the lack of power in the island brought about by the dry season.

The Agus plants source water from Lake Lanao, which is at 699.58 meters above sea level (masl). Its minimum operating level of 699.15 is estimated to be breached in 25 days.

However, Rudy Brioso, VP of Napocor-MinGen, said that rains were expected to come by that time, citing the forecast of Pagasa.

STEAG State Power Inc. (SPI), a German-owned power producer in Misamis Oriental, will also be restoring its other 100-MW unit 1 by June.

A previous massive power interruption in the island was initially reported to have been caused by the tripping of several power plants in Mindanao starting with the state-owned Agus 1 in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

The Department of Energy said on March 3 that state firm National Transmission Corp. (Transco), which retains ownership of the transmission assets being operated by private firm National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, had started the investigation into the incident.