For ILP, gov’t secures 738 MW from volunteers

The Department of Energy (DOE) has secured the commitment of more volunteers to the Interruptible Load Program (ILP), effectively raising the capacity to 738 megawatts (MW).

With the ILP, the government hopes to ease the tight power supply situation expected this summer. Under the program, big power consumers with generator sets may volunteer to use their equipment to ease the demand on the Luzon grid during peak hours, in return for fuel cost reimbursement and some compensation.

Of the total capacity that had been committed by far, 261 MW came from customers of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), 469 MW from customers of the Retail Electricity Suppliers Association (Resa), and almost 8 MW from locators at the Cavite Economic Zone.

Of the 196 companies that have so far signed up as ILP volunteers, 119 are customers of Resa, 74 are customers of Meralco, and 3 are locators of the Cavite Economic Zone, the DOE said.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla earlier announced the addition of two entities to the roster of participants under the ILP. The House of Representatives formally signed up on Jan. 27 as an ILP participant, pledging 1.7 megawatts (MW) of deloading capacity. MPOWER, the RES arm of Meralco, also signed up with 92 contestable customers on Jan. 30.

Petilla said energy authorities are aiming for 1,000 MW or more in power capacity under the ILP.

The ILP is one of the main coping mechanisms the DOE is counting on to ease the power supply gap from March to June 2015.

The DOE and other stakeholders like Meralco have been meeting to update how much electricity demand is expected and how much may be filled by short-term measures such as the ILP.

Noting that managing energy demand is just as important as generating supply, Petilla called on consumers to use electricity efficiently.