Power summit set

A POWER summit is set to be held next week to address the worsening power situation in Zamboanga City.

Dubbed as the "Zambo Power Summit," the event is initiated by Mayor Celso Lobregat and aimed to draw solutions and contingencies to alleviate the plight of local electric consumers.

Lobregat said invited to attend are government agencies concerned in power, to include the National Electrification Administration (NEA), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and the National Grid Power Corporation (NGCP).

Also invited to attend the power summit are officials of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) and different local stakeholders.

Lobregat said it is best that all government agencies that have to do with power "will come to this city and brief all the sectors about the situation and possibly come up with recommendations and solutions on a temporary, short term, medium-term or longer basis."

He said the power crisis is not only affecting Zamboanga City but the entire Mindanao as well.

However, Lobregat said how it affects each area may be different from one another depending on the distribution situation in each and every locality.

Zamboanga City has started experiencing since last week seven to eight hours rotational brownout daily.

The rotational brownout was implemented as for the month of March alone, the power demand is 79,821 megawatts (MW) and Zamcelco's contracted supply with the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (Psalm) is 44,342, while 18-MW with Therma Marine Inc. (TMI), translating power deficiency to 17-MW.

However, due to the decreasing water level in Lake Lanao, Psalm can only provide 36-MW, bringing the shortage to over 24-MW and translating to at least seven to eight hours blackout in the city.

Lobregat said they hope they would be able to come up with the best solution to address the worsening power situation in the city.