By Juzel L. Danganan
MANILA, Nov 24 (PNA) — Aboitiz Power Corp. has assured 96 megawatts (MWs) for the Interruptible Load Program during the foreseen Luzon’s reserve deficit, coming from Retail Electricity Supply (RES) companies.
”To date, AboitizPower has enlisted over 70 customers to the program, 38 of which are contestable customers of AboitizPower’s RES companies with a total of 96 MW de-loading capacity,” Aboitiz Power said in a statement Monday.
Visayan Electric Co. (VECO) and Subic Enerzone also backed ILP for Luzon with its 34 customers deloading 70 MWs. The Luzon and Visayas grid are interconnected through the Leyte-Luzon 350 kilovolts (kVs) High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC).
But, Aboitiz Power said that the solicitation for more ILP potentials would continue, adding that the company was also pushing for the ILP protocols to be ready for 2015, alongside the Philippine Independent Power Producers Association, Inc.’s (PIPPA), Retail Electricity Suppliers Association (RESA), Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Aboitiz Power also said that distribution utilities Mactan Enerzone, Balamban Enerzone and Lima Utilities Corp. are also finding customers within their franchise to add to the ILP potential.
The ILP is enforced through the use of generator sets from businesses and establishments that will pass of power to the grid in times of shortages.
Currently, Meralco has listed an existing ILP capacity of 182.87 MWs from the private sector, 201.39 MWs for M-Power and 149.89 from other Retail Electricity Suppliers (RES). It totals a production of 534.15 MWs.
Further a power potential of 101.33 MWs, coming from the private sector is estimated at 64.34 MWs and 36.99 MWs from M-Power and other RES sources.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has previously pointed out that the crucial aspect of the ILP is for the firms to sign up with Meralco.
Aboitiz Power is engaged with power generation and distribution in the country, with 21 power plants located in various parts of the country, mainly in Luzon and Mindanao. (PNA)