Gatchalian urges DOE to address possible yellow alert as warmer months kick in

As the country braces for even warmer weather this April, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Energy (DOE) to immediately implement stop-gap measures to address an expected yellow alert in areas covered by the Luzon grid due to the ongoing El Niño weather aberration.

"The DOE should immediately form an El Niño task force to convene all power plants and distribution utilities to plan for contingency measures, including the implementation of the Interruptible Load Program (ILP)," Gatchalian said. Under the program, participating consumers will be compensated should they use their own generating facilities in case of a power supply shortage.

According to Gatchalian, the DOE should ensure that power-generating plants, as well as transmission facilities, adhere to the Grid Operating and Maintenance Program (GOMP). The program contains all the maintenance schedules of power plants, substations and transmission lines.

Furthermore, the DOE should encourage consumers to be mindful of their energy use during the summer months and utilize energy-efficient products.

The DOE has earlier revealed that El Niño has adversely affected the operations of several hydroelectric plants and could jeopardize energy supply in areas covered by the Luzon grid from April to May.

"The DOE needs to ensure that energy consumers in the Luzon grid are not placed in a precarious situation of experiencing power interruption especially since the summer season is now in full effect," said Gatchalian, who serves as vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Energy. A yellow alert indicates that the supply available to the grid has fallen below a designated safety margin.

"It's critical that the government is able to provide sufficient energy supply at all times, especially during summer months. The impact of a supply shortage on the economy could be devastating and we must all work together to ensure that every consumer's electricity requirement is sufficiently met," he added.

Gatchalian hinimok ang DOE na tugunan ang posibleng yellow alert sa pagpasok ng mas maiinit na panahon

Sa paghahanda ng bansa para sa mas mainit na panahon ngayong Abril, hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang Department of Energy (DOE) na agad na magpatupad ng stop-gap measures para matugunan ang inaasahang yellow alert sa mga lugar na sakop ng Luzon grid dahil sa patuloy na pagdanas ng bansa ng El Niño weather phenomenon.

"Ang DOE ay dapat na agad na bumuo ng isang El Niño task force na magpupulong sa lahat ng power plants at distribution utilities upang planuhin ang contingency measures, kabilang ang pagpapatupad ng Interruptible Load Program (ILP)," sabi ni Gatchalian. Sa ilalim ng programa, ang mga kalahok na konsyumer ay mabibigyan ng kompensasyon kapag gumamit sila ng kanilang sariling genarating facilities sakaling magkaroon ng kakulangan sa suplay ng kuryente.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, dapat tiyakin ng DOE na ang power-generating plants, gayundin ang transmission facilities, ay sumusunod sa Grid Operating and Maintenance Program (GOMP). Ang programa ay naglalaman ng lahat ng schedule ng pagpapanatili ng mga power plant, substation, at transmission lines.

Higit pa rito, dapat hikayatin ng DOE ang mga konsyumer na maging maingat sa kanilang paggamit ng enerhiya sa mga buwan ng tag-init at gumamit ng mga produktong matipid sa enerhiya.

Nauna nang ibinunyag ng DOE na ang El Niño ay nakaapekto sa operasyon ng ilang hydroelectric plants at maaaring malagay sa alanganin ang suplay ng enerhiya sa mga lugar na sakop ng Luzon grid mula Abril hanggang Mayo.

"Kailangang tiyakin ng DOE na ang mga konsyumer ng enerhiya sa Luzon grid ay hindi malalagay sa isang delikadong sitwasyon na nakakaranas ng power interruption lalo na't ang summer season ay ganap na ngayong epektibo," sabi ni Gatchalian, na nagsisilbing vice-chairperson ng Senate Committee on Energy. Ang ibig sabihin ng yellow alert ay kung ang suplay ng kuryente ay mas mababa na sa itinalagang safety margin.

"Napakahalaga na ang gobyerno ay makapagbigay ng sapat na suplay ng enerhiya sa lahat ng oras, lalo na sa mga buwan ng tag-init. Dapat tayong magtulungang lahat upang matiyak na ang bawat pangangailangan sa kuryente ay sapat na natutugunan," dagdag niya.