NPC shuts down more power plants

THE National Power Corporation (NPC) said Thursday it has shut down some of its hydroelectric turbines from Agus 1 to 7 and Pulangi 4 because of "very low and critical water level."

Pedro Ambos, officer-in-charge of operations and planning division of NPC said they have decided to turn off their turbines "to save water." He denied that the affected turbines had defects.

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As of Thursday, Ambos said Lake Lanao water level had gone down further to 699.01 with generating power capacity at 903 megawatts (MW), against grid demand of 1447 MW.

Lanao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Laneco) Manager Engr. Resnol Torres said this resulted to further reduced allocation on their end of around 40 MW. The new load curtailment scheme meant four-hour daily brownouts in their service area, he said.

Torres said Laneco has already lost P30 million since the power shortage started mid-February.

In Cagayan de Oro, local power utility Cepalco said the public can expect longer rotating brownouts, even a total blackout if the power situation takes a turn for the worst.

Meanwhile, Mindanao Development Authority chairman Jesus Dureza said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has decided to adopt the recommendation of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to put entire Mindanao under state of calamity following power shortages that impair productivity and businesses in the south.

Dureza, who was with the President in Zamboanga del Norte Thursday, confirmed this report in a text message.

Further details about the declaration will be announced soon, he said.

The NDCC on Wednesday recommended the imposition of a state of calamity in the whole of Mindanao as the five to eight hours rotating brownout in parts of the region has worsened.

In fact, total blackouts have been scheduled in some provinces like Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato.

The blackout was set for 8 a.m. to 12 noon (March 11) and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (March 12).

The declaration of a state of calamity would enable local government units (LGUs) to access calamity funds, which could be used in mitigating the effects of power crisis. (Sunnex/Richel V. Umel)