DOE upbeat on improving Visayas power situation

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday expressed optimism that power conditions in the Visayas Grid, which has been experiencing recurring yellow and red alerts for over a month, will improve in the coming weeks.

The DOE’s outlook was driven by the expected resumption of operations of the 150-megawatt (MW) Unit 3 of the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) by July 3.

The Visayas Grid has been placed under a series of yellow and red alerts since May 12 due to the simultaneous outages of several major generating facilities.

Currently, three key generating units remain under restoration — Therma Visayas, Inc.'s two 169-MW units in Toledo City, Cebu, and PEDC's 150-MW Unit 3 in La Paz, Iloilo City.

“The restoration activities currently underway are already yielding positive results, including a reduction in the number of yellow alert hours and a decrease in the magnitude of supply deficits experienced in the grid,” said DOE Undersecretary Mario Marasigan.

However, Marasigan said another setback occurred on June 14 when Unit 1 of KEPCO-SPC Power Corporation's coal-fired power plant in Naga City, Cebu encountered operational problems and was forced to go offline.

The facility is currently under assessment and is targeted for restoration by June 19.

Despite these challenges, the DOE said immediate interventions are being pursued to strengthen Visayas power supply and mitigate the impact of generating unit outages.

The department added it is advancing short- and medium-term measures that could inject around 260 MW of additional capacity into the Visayas Grid, enough to supply about 1.25 million households.

These efforts are being carried out in coordination with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Other measures include the deployment of around 170 MW of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) strategically located across Cebu, Negros, and Panay to provide both energy and ancillary services; the installation of a 20-MW modular diesel generating set; and the possible transfer of a power barge from Metro Manila to Panay Island.

Beyond these immediate measures, the DOE said it is working on longer-term projects to ensure a more reliable and adequate power supply in the Visayas.

Among the projects being pursued are the ongoing construction of Therma Visayas Unit 3 in Toledo City, Cebu, and the proposed expansion of Palm Concepcion Power Corporation's facility in Concepcion, Iloilo through the development of Unit 2.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the expected return of PEDC Unit 3, together with additional capacity support measures, would help stabilize power conditions in the region.

“We remain focused on restoring reliability in the Visayas Grid as quickly as possible. The anticipated return of PEDC Unit 3 by July 3, combined with the additional capacity interventions being pursued by the government, will substantially strengthen the region’s power supply and help bring an end to the recurring yellow and red alerts that have affected consumers since May,” Garin said.

The DOE said it continues to closely monitor the situation and work with industry stakeholders to implement both immediate and long-term measures necessary to secure a stable, reliable, and sufficient electricity supply for the Visayas.—MCG, GMA News