MANILA, August 8 (PNA) – Mindanao-based Steag State Power Inc. (SPI) said the maintenance shutdown of its second 105-megawatt (MW) unit is on-track and is still targeted to be online by August 16.
”It’s (maintenance shutdown is) on track and on schedule. We hope to bring it back on or before August 16 as planned,” Steag Spokesman Jerome Soldevilla told PNA.
SPI put the unit on preventive maintenance shutdown since July 18, according to earlier reports from the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC)
MPMC also noted Zamboanga experiences the longest brownouts in Mindanao — due to the power shortage — at a maximum of nine hours per feeder.
Department of Energy (DOE) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Secretary Zenaida Monsada earlier explained the lack of capacity was caused by the lack of water in most of Mindanao’s dams, which also have power plants.
She mentioned most electric cooperatives (ECs) had tapped the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) to address the power shortage problem.
German-firm STEAG holds 51 percent of SPI, Aboitiz Power Corporation has a 34 percent stake and the remaining 15 percent stake is owned by La Philippina Uygongco Corporation. (PNA)