MANILA, Philippines–More private companies have signed up for a voluntary self-generating scheme to help address the expected power crisis in Luzon this summer, according to the Department of Energy.
The DOE estimates that the capacity signed up for the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) has reached 891 megawatts (MW).
Last month, the DOE estimated the ILP capacity at around 700 MW.
As of March 8, DOE said, about 79 registered ILP participants are under the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) with a capacity of 393.36 MW while 207 customer participants are members of the Retail Electricity Suppliers Association (RESA) with a capacity of 497.29 MW.
Under the voluntary ILP, businesses with generator sets may be asked by Meralco to use their equipment to ease demand from the grid, thus helping prevent power outages.
In return for using their gensets, ILP participants will be paid some compensation to be set by regulators.
Among ILP volunteers, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. has the largest capacity with 185.61 MW, DOE said, followed by Robinsons Land Corp. (23.15 MW) and Waltermart Malls (14.30 MW).
Meralco had two dry runs this year to test the operational effectiveness of the ILP protocols.
Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said his department was inviting more participants to join the ILP to help address the power crisis this summer.
Aside from the ILP, the DOE also released a Department Circular on Aug. 11, 2014 “Enjoining all Electricity-Consuming Sectors to Implement Demand-Side Management Program and other Energy Conservation Measures.”
This circular, which encompasses both the public and private sectors, invites business establishments and households to join the DOE in implementing energy efficiency methods such as putting cooling systems to 25 degrees Celsius, particularly from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the time of the day when energy demand in Luzon is at its highest.
The DOE also said it was monitoring committee reports on power projects set to be commissioned this year.
These include the 150-MW SLPGC Coal Plant U1, which is scheduled to be up and running by March 2015, Anda Power Corp.’s 82-MW CFB Coal Fired Power Plant, June 2015; 150-MW SLPGC Coal Plant U2, June 2015; 67.5-MW Pilila Wind Project, July 2015, and the 150-MW SLTEC Puting Bato Coal Fired Plant U2, November 2015.