By Lilian C. Mellejor
DAVAO CITY, July 20 (PNA)- Davao Light & Power Co. has increased the duration of its rotating power interruptions from a maximum of 30 minutes to 1 hour due to the increased Mindanao-wide curtailment as imposed by the National Grid Corp. of the Phils. (NGCP.
Consumers started experiencing a one-hour rotational blackout since Saturday when about 110-megawatt power deficit was recorded in Mindanao
Davao Light Corporate Communications Officer Ross Luga, said the lack of power supply was due to the Preventive Maintenance and Servicing (PMS) of one unit of STEAG coal-fired power plant, which is scheduled from July 18 to Aug. 16.
Luga said that Pulangi Hydropower plant also remained to generate power at low capacity due to low water inflows. Also, the Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant is currently undergoing a PMS until July 27.
“Davao Light is constrained to increase the duration of the rotating power interruption despite implementing its contingency measures such as running its standby Bajada Power Plant, optimizing on its embedded Sibulan and Talomo Hydropower plants and supply agreement with TMI, and activating its Interruptible Load Program,” he said.
He said the implementation of the rotating power interruptions was necessary to avoid breakdown of the entire distribution system, which happens when the demand is higher than what is being supplied.
Davao Light apologizes to its customers for the inconvenience that these service disruptions may have caused them. It also encourages everyone to be prudent in the use of energy to help minimize the effects of the current power situation. (PNA)