THE Department of Energy (DOE)-Mindanao Field Office reported that there is an adequate power supply outlook in Mindanao.
Engr. Rapha Julysses E. Perez, science research specialist of DOE-Mindanao Field Office, said during Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday morning, December 2, 2024, at SM City Davao, that the power supply outlook in Mindanao remains resilient and sufficient. He said that the peak demand for this year is 2,577 megawatts (MW).
“So in terms sa supply ng power, naging sapat naman po siya [of power it has been enough] all throughout the year,” he said.
Perez added that with the inauguration and commercialization of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), Mindanao has frequently supplied power to the Visayas, which is a testament to the region's adequate power supply.
He said that if there are no changes in the capacity of power generation in Mindanao, the current supply will only be sufficient for the next three years. He expressed concern that this could become alarming if there would be no additional generation capacity, especially with the continuous increase in power demand in Mindanao.
In response to this outlook, Perez said that the DOE-Mindanao Field Office has several power projects in the pipeline. He said that these projects are expected to come online within two to three years. He outlined committed projects in Mindanao, including 258 MW from renewable energy, 279 MW from coal, 56 MW from oil, and 220 MW from an energy storage system.
“So for Mindanao alone sapat na po yung committed projets natin to meet the demands in several years time (So for Mindanao alone the committed projects are enough to meet the demands in several years time),” he said.
Perez also said in an interview on the sidelines that Mindanao has a reserve, as it is mandated to maintain a certain level of reserve capacity. He explained that the reserve level corresponds to the yellow alerts that occur, especially during the El Niño phenomenon.
Mindanao experienced two yellow alerts this year due to the sudden forced outage of 150 MW generating units. This means that the reserve was equal to or slightly less than the largest generating unit in Mindanao, which is a 150 MW coal power plant. He clarified that these events are temporary and that the power supply is quickly restored to its proper capacity. He further emphasized that throughout the year, the region’s reserve capacity is higher and sufficient to supply the entire Mindanao grid. RGP
