Gatchalian seeks inquiry into series of power transmission disturbances

Senator Win Gatchalian wants the Senate to conduct an inquiry into the series of disturbances in the country's power transmission system in the hope of ensuring a reliable and continuous electricity supply.

The vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Gatchalian filed proposed Senate Resolution No. 607, which essentially calls for an inquiry on the issue.

"These successive transmission system disturbances caused inconvenience to communities and losses to businesses. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines as the operator of the transmission system in the country should be held to account for the root cause of these disturbances," Gatchalian said.

On May 8, the NGCP reported red and yellow alerts in the Luzon grid due to a tripping of the Bolo-Masinloc 230kV Line 2, leading to the tripping of 2 units of the Masinloc Coal Power Plant which, in turn, caused power loss of 659 megawatts (MW) in the Luzon grid. Such disturbance brought power interruptions in the franchise areas of various distribution facilities across Luzon island. In the Meralco franchise, in particular, more than 300,000 customers in Paco and Sta. Mesa in Manila, Caloocan, Malabon, Batangas, Antipolo in Rizal, San Pedro and Binan in Laguna, and San Rafael and Pulilan in Bulacan were affected.

The following day, May 9, Meralco reported power supply cuts due to a temporary system imbalance caused by a sudden plant outage. According to the distribution utility company, the power supply disruption was caused by an automatic load dropping (ALD) of approximately 290 MW, as a result of the tripping of the Duhat-Hermosa 290kV line.

Gatchalian also noted that NGCP reported last April 27 a system disturbance in the Visayas grid, causing a loss of 322.3 MW and power interruptions that persisted until April 30 and lasting up to 12 hours in the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros, affecting over 1.5 million households.

Gatchalian pointed out that the NGCP is mandated under Section 3 of Republic Act No.9511 to operate and maintain the transmission system, grid, and related facilities at all times in accordance with industry standards.

Gatchalian gustong paimbestigahan ang mga problema sa power transmission

Nais ni Senador Win Gatchalian na magsagawa ng imbestigasyon ang Senado kasunod ng mga problema sa power transmission system ng bansa upang matiyak ang tuluy-tuloy na suplay ng kuryente.

Naghain si Gatchalian, vice chairman ng Senate Committee on Energy, ng Proposed Senate Resolution No. 607 upang imbestigahan ang tinatawag na electric transmission system disturbances.

"Ang sunud-sunod na transmission system disturbances ay nagdulot ng abala sa mga komunidad at pagkalugi sa mga negosyo. Ang National Grid Corporation of the Philippines bilang operator ng transmission system sa bansa ay dapat panagutin dahil sa sitwasyong ito," sabi ni Gatchalian.

Noong Mayo 8, nag-anunsiyo ang NGCP ng red at yellow alert sa Luzon grid dahil sa aberya sa Bolo-Masinloc 230kV Line 2, na humantong sa pagpalya ng dalawang unit ng Masinloc Coal Power Plant na siyang naging daan naman para mawala ang 659 megawatts (MW) na kuryente sa Luzon grid. Ito ang nagdulot ng power interruption sa Luzon. Sa Meralco franchise area halimbawa, mahigit 300,000 mga kostumer sa Paco at Sta. Mesa sa Maynila, Caloocan, Malabon, Batangas, Antipolo sa Rizal, San Pedro at Biñan sa Laguna, at San Rafael at Pulilan sa Bulacan ang apektado.

Noong Mayo 9 naman, iniulat ng Meralco ang pagkawala ng suplay ng kuryente dahil sa temporary system imbalance sanhi ng biglaang pagpalya ng planta. Ayon sa Meralco, ang naging aberya sa suplay ng kuryente ay dulot ng humigit-kumulang na 290 MW automatic load dropping (ALD) bilang resulta naman ng pagpalya ng Duhat-Hermosa 290kV line.

Sinabi ni Gatchalian na iniulat ng NGCP noong Abril 27 ang system disturbance sa Visayas grid, na nagdulot ng pagkawala ng 322.3 MW at mga power interruption na nanatili hanggang Abril 30 at tumagal ng hanggang 12 oras sa mga isla ng Panay, Guimaras, at Negros, na nakakaapekto sa higit 1.5 milyong mga kabahayan.

Dagdag pa ng senador, ang NGCP ay may mandato sa ilalim ng Section 3 ng Republic Act No.9511 na patakbuhin at panatilihin ang transmission system, grid, at mga kaugnay na pasilidad sa lahat ng oras alinsunod sa mga pamantayan ng industriya.