Power supply in Cebu dips as Toledo plant is shut down

APART from higher demand, the shutdown of an 84-megawatt power plant in Toledo City brought down available power in the Visayas, a Department of Energy (DOE) official said yesterday.

Cebu Energy and Development Corp.'s (CEDC) Unit 1 has been undergoing maintenance since May 15.

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With the increasing demand, the sporadic brownouts which have been experienced in Metro Cebu since last year will continue, said DOE-Visayas Director Antonio Labios.

Negative

"We have negative reserve since after the elections, primarily due to high demand of more than 1,300 megawatts (mw) for the whole Visayas grid plus the fact that CEDC Unit 1 with a capacity of 84 megawatts in Toledo City has been under maintenance since May 15," Labios said in a text message to Sun.Star Cebu.

Ethel Natera, corporate communications manager of the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco), also reported that at past 1 p.m. yesterday, the power supply shortage affected Barangays Inayawan, Pardo, Busay, Luz, Kasambagan, Banilad and some mountains barangays of Cebu City and Talisay City.

Rotation

At past 2 p.m., Natera said rotation brownouts were implemented in Mandaue City, Talisay City, part of Consolacion town and Barangays Pit-os, Basak, Punta Princesa and Pardo in Cebu City.

Labios did not answer why SPC Power Corp., which has a contract with the National Power Corp. (NPC) to operate the Naga Power Plant Complex (NPPC), did not operate the 50-mw gas turbines to reduce the power supply deficiency.

Last March, Labios announced that the two gas turbines at the NPPC were privatized by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management as mandated by the Energy Power Industry Reform Act (Epira).

The gas turbines were acquired by SPC Power last January. (EOB)