Napocor may shut down Agus hydro power plants

National Power Corp. (Napocor) will have to shut down the Agus hydro power plants in Lanao del Sur once the water level in Lake Lanao declines to critical levels, cutting 40 percent of supply that goes into the Mindanao grid, state-owned company said Monday. There has been a noticeable drop in the water level of Lake Lanao, the company said in a statement. In a separate text message to reporters, Napocor said the current water level is 700.14 meters above sea level. Napocor assumed that in the absence of any improvement in the water flowing into the lake, the elevation is expected to drop to the critical 699.15 meters above sea level by May. As of Monday, the Mindanao grid recorded a supply shortfall of 120 megawatts (MW), Napocor noted, saying the system peaked at 1,123 MW in terms of demand, but the supply was able to deliver only up to 1,002 MW, according to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. "The onset of summer has also greatly contributed to the receding elevation of the lake," Napocor said. At 699.15 meters above sea level, Napocor is required by its operating protocol to limit the output of the Agus power plants. "Moreover, based on the same protocol, the lake’s elevation must not go below 698.15 meters above sea level, otherwise, Napocor will be constrained to shut down the operations of the Agus hydro plants," the company said. — VS, GMA News