Energy sector preparations for polls now in homestretch

The Power Task Force Election 2016, led by the Department of Energy (DOE), is almost done with preparatory works to ensure that there will be stable and adequate power supply for the national and local elections on May 9, said Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada following a meeting with power plant operators on Monday.

“We are nearing completion of preparations to ensure the readiness of the systems and of the power stakeholders who have roles to play during the election day,” Monsada said. The DOE and its affiliate agencies are in close coordination to provide uninterrupted electricity services and help ensure a clean and unquestionable holding of elections, she said.

The PTFE met with power generators on April 25 to discuss the group’s work plans and commitments for the critical election period (one week before and one week after the polling). The group also agreed that the conduct of scheduled maintenance services of the power plants should be carried out earlier to ensure readiness during the critical period.

As reported in the meeting, all power generators will be running at full capacity during the elections except for the 180-megawatt (MW) Kalayaan Unit 4 which extended its maintenance until May 14, 2016.

In Mindanao, the dispatch of water resource for hydropower plants is being managed to ensure that there will be higher production during the critical period.

The big load customers (e.g. mall owners) were invited to the PTFE meeting to seek their support for the government’s call to observe energy efficiency and conservation measures. These include the setting of their cooling system temperature at 25 degrees C and providing necessary information from the DOE on efficient practices for their customers.

On April 21, the task force has conducted a simulation drill to check if all systems were working at the dedicated task force command centers around the country. Prior to that, the group visited the satellite command centers to inspect the power grid facilities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Moreover, the Interagency task force on Securing Energy Facilities, which was formed by the President, has started clearing the vegetations and structures along the Baloi transmission facilities for areas with cooperative claimants, as a preventive maintenance to ensure the integrity of the transmission system. This follows the issuance of cutting permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 10, in which trees planted are intentionally where transmission towers are located and transmission lines are traversing.

The DOE is also set to release efficiency measures and practices that members of the public can do to help reduce electricity consumption to avert any power surges that may cause line trippings or thinning of power reserves during critical periods.

National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), which is part of the task force, has cleared about half of the landowners with right-of-way claims (compensation for houses and trees under transmission lines) along the crucial Agus-Baloi transmission line in Mindanao. Similar issues are being addressed in other parts of Mindanao, NGCP officials said in a separate briefing.

NGCP officials said they had given uncooperative landowners a deadline and have tried a nonhostile approach but if they continue to be uncooperative then the transmission operator will have to seek the help of the police and the army.

Officials of NGCP said power supply would not be a problem on May 9 since it was a holiday. “There will be enough supply and ample reserves,” Alabanza said. Luzon is estimated to have 2,243MW of gross reserves, while Visayas is seen to have 119MW and Mindanao, 370MW.