2012-03-30

COTABATO CITY --- A good contract demand, a standing power plant, and the  merging with Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) spare Cotabato City from power shortage and outages now being experienced throughout Mindanao,  said Cotabato Light and Power Company (CLPC) Resident Manager Crisente Ferolino.

The franchise area of CLPC, a member of the Aboitiz Power Group, covers Cotabato City and parts of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao.

Despite the power deficiency reported by power supplier  National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in as many places in Mindanao now experiencing rotational brownout, power supply in Cotabato City remains uninterrupted.

Ferolino said the demand for power supply this month in their franchised area has dropped than what was expected making the contracted power supply from the NGCP enough to cover up the power shortage. Cotabato City consumes 21 to 22 megawatts a day.

The National Electrification Administration confirmed last March 9 that most of its 27 electric cooperatives in Mindanao have insufficient power supply. The CLPC said it also received a red alert notice on October last year that there will be a power deficiency.

“Ang contracted demand namin medyo mataas, tapos ngayon ang actual demand is lower,” said Ferolino. “Sabi  kasi nila, e-curtail natin dun pa rin sa level  na pwede pa rin bigyan lahat, although from time to time nagpapatakbo kami ng makina, pero very short. In fact, last time we ran it for three hours.”

“If magkulang kami rito ng power supply, the DLPC can provide kung ano yung sobra sa kanila kasi dinidistribute ng Aboitiz yung power supply sa members nito,” said Dohjie Vertouso, CLPC public information officer.

Aside from the “bundled” power supply with the Aboitiz Power Group, the CLPC situated in Cotabato City has its own power plant powered by diesel fuel that can supply energy up to 8.5 megawatts.

Mindanao lacks a reserve of 190 MW to its system capacity of  1,084 MW, whose utilization usually peaks at 1,274 MW. In Cotabato City, the  peaks goes 21 MW a day but any shortage can be covered up by the CLPC’s diesel-fed power plant.

Ferolino said “we can say na hindi tayo nakakaranas ng rotational brownout because we have a good back-up power plant,”  explaining the power plant can supply an estimated one-third of the power demand by the company’s franchise area.

“Sa ngayon, the power plant is sufficient,” he assured.

But there will be power outage next month due to maintenance work and desilting operations set by the National Power Corporation in the Pulangi hydro power plants in Bukidnon.

Ferolino said the power supply will be “neck to neck,” adding: “The power plant is a machine; they’re like cars you know.”

Ferolino said if the Pulangi plant will shut down  and the CLPC’s reserve can not sustain the expected larger power deficiency next month, there is a possibility that Cotabato City will also experience the rotational brownout. (AYESHA MAE O. GAYAO)