Gatchalian to DOE: Ensure uninterrupted power supply when Malampaya shuts down

With less than two months before the scheduled 20-day Malampaya shutdown, Senator Win Gatchalian urged energy officials to ensure that there will be no power outages when the deep-water gas-to-power project goes on maintenance shutdown in October.

Gatchalian emphasized that the Department of Energy (DOE) needs to ensure that the Grid Operating and Maintenance Program (GOMP) is followed to avoid a repeat of the unplanned and forced outages. He reiterated the need to ensure back up plans as 30% of households in the country or 6.575 million residential customers are dependent on Malampaya.

"We've been assured that brownouts will not happen during the summer season and that there's sufficient supply, yet power interruption still took place from May 31 to June 2. I do not wish to call them out on this for the second time in a matter of just four months," Gatchalian said.

The Senate Energy Committee Chairperson took note of the assurance made by DOE officials on the availability of power supply and preparations such as alternative measures when the Malampaya gas field goes offline on October 2 to 22.

"I don't want to sound like a broken record but I need to reiterate, we cannot afford to have another round of rotational brownouts especially with more hospitals now burdened with rising numbers of COVID-19 patients and COVID-19 vaccines storage facilities need an uninterruptible supply of power. Also, students are about to start their online classes again," Gatchalian said.

The senator recalled pronouncements made by DOE officials in a hearing by the Senate Energy Committee last April 27 that no power interruption will take place between the months of April to June this year.

When some parts of Luzon were hit by rotating brownouts due to surge in demand brought about by higher heat index, Gatchalian called out the DOE to explain why their projections were off.

DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella was quoted in news reports saying that there is sufficient supply of power as long as there will be no forced outages from power plants during the scheduled shutdown of Malampaya.

"There's ample time to prepare for any eventuality. We expect the DOE to exhaust all means to ensure the continuity of flow of electricity to our homes and even avert hikes in electricity rates if the supply strain could be addressed ahead of time," the senator said.

# # #

__________________________________________

Sapat na suplay ng kuryente dapat siguruhin ng DOE sa tigil operasyon ng Malampaya -- Gatchalian

Muling kinalampag ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang mga opisyal sa sektor ng enerhiya sa pagkakaroon ng sapat na suplay ng kuryente pagdating ng buwan ng Oktubre kung kailan nakatakdang magsagawa ng 20 araw na maintenance shutdown ang Malampaya deep-water gas-to-power project.

Iginiit ni Gatchalian na dapat masiguro ng Department of Energy (DOE) na nasusunod ang Grid Operating and Maintenance Program (GOMP) upang hindi na maulit ang mga insidente ng unplanned at forced outages ng ibang power plants. Binigyan diin ng senador ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na plano lalo na't 30% ng mga sambahayan o 6.575 milyon na residential customers sa bansa ang umaasa sa suplay mula sa Malampaya.

"Bago ang nangyaring brownouts noong Mayo 31 hanggang Hunyo 2, siniguro sa atin ng mga kinauukulan na may sapat tayong suplay pagdating ng summer, pero nangyari pa rin ang rotational brownouts. Ayoko na sanang ulitin ang panawagan ko sa pangalawang pagkakataon pagkaraan lamang ng apat na buwan," ani Gatchalian.

"Ayokong maging parang sirang plaka ngunit nais ko silang paalalahanan na hindi natin dapat hayaan na magkaroon muli ng rotational brownouts ngayon kung saan marami sa mga ospital natin ay hindi na halos makayanan ang dami ng pasyenteng may COVID-19 at ang mga bakunang nakalagak sa mga storage facilities ay mapapanis kung mawawalan ng kuryente. Bukod pa dito, ang mga estudyante ay balik na sa kanilang online classes sa panahong yun," dagdag pa ng senador.

Matatandaan na nagbitaw ng salita ang mga opisyal ng DOE sa pagdinig na isinagawa ng Senate Energy Committee noong Abril 27 na hindi magkakaroon ng power interruption o brownout mula Abril hanggang Hunyo ng taong kasalukuyan.

Noong mangyari ang rotational brownouts sa ilang lugar sa Luzon dahil sa pagsipa ng dami ng gumagamit ng kuryente at dala na rin ng sobrang init ng panahon, kaagad na tinawag ni Gatchalian ang atensyon ng DOE sa submablay nitong pagtaya ng sitwasyon kaugnay sa suplay ng kuryente.

Sa pinakahuling pahayag ni DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, sinabi nyang sasapat ang suplay ng kuryente kahit tumigil ang operasyon ng Malampaya mula Oktubre 2 hanggang 22, huwag lang may masirang ibang planta.

"May sapat na panahon pa para paghandaan ito. Inaasahan nating gagawin ng DOE ang lahat ng paraan upang masiguro ang tuloy-tuloy na daloy ng kuryente sa ating mga tahanan at maiwasan ang posibleng pagsipa ng presyo kung maagap nilang masisiguro ang pagkakaroon ng kapalit na suplay," sabi ng senador.

# # #