Meralco building up power capacity for summer

MANILA, Philippines–Manila Electric Co. is securing capacity from power suppliers and voluntary grid de-loaders for summer next year, when Luzon is expected to experience shortfall in power supply.

“We’re signing contracts with Global Power, Bauang, Limay, and also with Makban,” Meralco president Oscar Reyes said.

“Including Makban (to contribute 50 megawatts), that’s about a total of 529 MW of interim power supply agreements.”

The Makban geothermal power plant in Laguna is operated by Aboitiz Power Corp. unit AP Renewables Inc.

Global Business Power Corp. operates bunker/diesel plants in Cebu and Iloilo.

The capacity from Limay will come from Limay fuel oil power plant which is operated by PanAsia Energy Inc. The Bauang capacity will come from 1590 Energy Corp. which operates the Bauang fuel oil power plant in La Union.

Aside from the said short-term power supply deals, Meralco is working on a potential agreement with Millenium Energy, which is reviving a 100-MW diesel power barge in Navotas, Metro Manila.

“We’re still hoping that they can deliver because as of last week, they’re still committed,” Reyes said.

“As of about a week ago, they’re still on track and they opened up their unit to inspect. In fact our people were supposed to have gone there to take a look at it.”

To ease grid load during peak hours next summer, Reyes said Meralco was trying to sign up more participants in the Interruptible Load Program (ILP).

Under the program, entities with generators will be paid for the amount of electricity demand they cut from the grid during peak hours or in times of emergency.