2 hydro plants down in Mindanao, 260MW lost
TWO hydro power plants, Agus 1 and Agus 2, have been downed, generating no power for the Mindanao electric grid since October 29, causing massive power interruptions in several areas on the island, including Davao City, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said.
This, after one of the NGCP's towers in Patani, Marawi City, was bombed, affecting the 138-kilovolt (kV) Agus-Kibawe Transmission Line, which connects Agus 1 and 2 to the main grid.
"At around 9:20 p.m. on October 29, one of NGCP's towers, Agus 1 and Agus 2 plants, are isolated from the grid, causing power loss in several areas in Mindano grid," Milfrance Capulong, NGCP corporate communication officer for Mindanao, said in a media advisory.
Agus 1 plant has an installed capacity of 80 megawatt (MW), while Agus 2 is at 180MW. The combined power capacity of the two plants is at 260 MW.
At present, the NGCP is still investigating the incident to determine cause of tripping.
"We will begin restoration activities as soon as the area is secured," Capulong said.
The two-hour rotating power interruptions implemented by the Davao Light Power Company (DLPC) is a combined cause of the two Agus plants shutdown and the critical water levels of Lake Lanao caused by El Nino affecting operations of the Agus and Pulangi Hydropower Complexes (APHC), which is supplying nearly half of the island’s power supply.
"This was among the scenarios the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) has discussed in a meeting last month to draw up measures to cushion the impact of ?the weather phenomenon to the power sector," director Romeo Montenegro, Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) public affairs head, said in a press statement.
El Nino as per Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) is present until the first quarter of 2016.
The Mindanao Development Authorty (Minda)-led Mindanao power monitoring body has cited that based on the report of National Power Corporation (NPC), water levels in Lanao Lake is now reaching critical levels at 699.86 meters above sea level (masl) as of October 30, 2015.
The lake's minimum operating level is 699.15 masl.
El Nino’s presence had resulted in the reduced capacity of the APHC.
As of October 30, 2015, Pulangi IV is only producing 60 MW from 144 MW on October 26. On the other hand, the Agus Hydropower Plants are only producing 214 MW, critically low caused by the Agus 1 and 2’s shutdown.
At present, DLPC’s power deficiency within its franchises is at 27 MW, equivalent to tow-hour brownouts.
Minda is closely coordinating and monitoring the situation together with the other members MPMC and determining the extent of the recent events to the operations of electric cooperatives and distribution utilities.
But Montenegro is still confident that despite the current situation that by 2016 Mindanao will have a better power situation with the entry of base load power plants, reducing our dependency to APHC.