Power firm urged to implement Interruptible Load Program

ZAMBOANGA Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (ZCCIFI) President Pedro Rufo Soliven has reiterated his call to the management of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) to fast track the implementation of the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) in the city.

Soliven, who chairs the Task Force ILP, said that 15 industrial and big load commercial establishments have enrolled in the ILP scheme as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Soliven said that at least eight megawatts (MW) can be generated for Zamcelco to distribute to member consumers who badly need the power.

“This can mitigate brownouts by at least three hours daily. The ILP scheme is an immediate mitigating measure for Zamcelco to undertake with a sense of urgency,” he said.

Zamboanga City has been experiencing seven to eight hours rotational blackout daily because of the power curtailment in Mindanao brought about by the reduce water level in Lake Lanao, the source of hydropower.

For this month, the power demand of Zamboanga City is 79.821-MW and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (Psalm) and the Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) could only provide a combined power of 54-MW bringing the shortage to over 24-MW translating to at least seven to eight hours blackout daily in this city.

Soliven said that another workable and immediate measure would be for Zamcelco to seriously study the purchase or lease of modular generator sets to help augment the critically short supply presently available for this city.

The local government should also consider using a portion of this city’s P3 billion savings to help purchase generator sets for the benefit of the taxpayer of Zamboanga City who are greatly suffering from the power crisis, Soliven added.