Reserves thin further with Malampaya shutdown

MANILA, Philippines–Even as it has been keeping an upbeat outlook, the Department of Energy has not ruled out the possibility of power outages during the summer months with the scheduled temporary shutdown or “turnaround” of the Malampaya natural gas facility.

“For as long as power plants do not go on unplanned or forced shutdown, we should be okay. Otherwise, we will experience intermittent disturbance,” Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said ahead of the Malampaya’s scheduled turnaround.

The Malampaya shutdown, which was scheduled to start Sunday, was aimed at allowing the facility’s operator to install a new platform that would help keep future gas production from the gas field stable.

Luzon’s power reserves are already thin to begin with. The situation will be compounded by the turnaround, which will lessen the performance of gas-fired power plants that are supplying about 40 percent of Luzon’s electricity as they shift to other fuel types.

Since last year, the DOE has been regularly holding meetings with the power industry and the Malampaya operator for coordination, Petilla said.

“The department is optimistic on the power condition during the turnaround but forecasts showed the thinning of power reserves during the period,” Petilla said.

He stressed, though, that intermittent power disturbances would likely happen  only on days when these power plants were down and not during the  entire summer months.

Petilla said part of the DOE’s preparations include a campaign for energy efficiency and conservation. The department, he said, was urging the public to turn the thermostat of cooling systems to 25 degrees Celsius particularly during the peak demand hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Recently, the department released a memorandum addressed to its attached agencies to have their employees wear casual clothes over the next few weeks to help them cope with the summer heat.

Apart from energy efficiency, the department heavily promotes and invites companies to join the Interruptible Load Program (ILP).

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), which is leading the implementation of the ILP, had conducted two dry runs to test the operational efficiency of the system with the most recent garnering the most participation.

The DOE is in constant communication and already had sector-wide meetings to prepare the industry as well as solicit more participation and contribution to the program, Petilla said.

Given such efforts, the DOE is hoping that the power situation during the summer months will be normal and that there will be no major power interruptions during the period, Petilla said.