Press Release
March 5, 2022

Gatchalian to DOE, power utilities: Draw up contingencies vs. possible power outage during elections

Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Department of Energy (DOE) and power utilities to draw up contingency measures to address the imminent power interruptions, especially during the election period, due to thinning power supply.

The re-electionist senator urged the DOE to activate the interruptible load program (ILP), a voluntary and demand-side management program that allows consumers to operate their generating sets to manage demand in the power grid.

The conduct of close monitoring of the maintenance schedule of power plants should likewise be undertaken to minimize the risk of unscheduled outages, Gatchalian said, adding that hydropower generators are the only ones allowed to conduct power plant maintenance in the peak quarter.

Gatchalian also called on the Energy Regulatory Committee (ERC) to strictly impose sanctions on erring power plants and should oversee the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines' (NGCP) compliance to its obligation of procuring ancillary supply to provide sufficient levels of ancillary services (AS) or power reserves for contingencies such as the looming supply deficiency.

"What we want is an assurance, amid claims from various sectors of thinning power reserves leading to the election period and even weeks after that, that there is a back-up plan in the event that there will be tripping of power plants that could aggravate the supply situation. And with Metro Manila now under Alert Level 1, we must anticipate higher electricity consumption," said Gatchalian.

"We have to explore all possible solutions. Assuring power supply stability is the DOE's main responsibility. It is crucial that necessary measures are in place taking into account all eventualities to guarantee the continuous supply of electricity in this year's national and local elections to ensure the credibility, transparency and delivery of fast and accurate results that is reflective of the genuine will of the people. Nakasalalay sa darating na halalan ang kinabukasan ng higit sa 100 milyong Pilipino sa susunod na anim na taon," he added.


DOE, power utilities inudyok ni Gatchalian na maghanda kontra sa posibleng brownout sa halalan

Inudyukan ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang Department of Energy (DOE) at power utilities na maglatag ng mga contingency measures para matugunan ang napipintong brownout lalo na pagdating ng eleksyon bunsod ng numinipis na suplay ng kuryente.

Ayon sa senador, isang solusyon ang Interruptible Load Program (ILP), kung saan pwedeng makakuha ng kuryente ang distribution utility (DU), tulad halimbawa ng Meralco, sa mga kumpanyang may stand-by generation capacities upang maiwasan ang kakulangan sa kuryente.

Kailangan rin aniyang magsagawa ng monitoring ng maintenance schedule ng mga planta ng kuryente para maiwasan ang unscheduled outages. Paliwanag ni Gatchalian, tanging ang mga hydropower generators lamang ang pinapayagang magsagawa ng plant maintenance tuwing panahon ng peak quarter.

Nanawagan din si Gatchalian sa Energy Regulatory Committee (ERC) na mahigpit na ipatupad ang pagpapataw ng parusa sa mga hindi sumusunod na planta at pangasiwaan ang pagsunod ng National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) sa obligasyon nitong kumuha ng ancillary supply upang magkaroon ng sapat na ancillary services (AS) o mga reserbang kuryente bilang paghahanda sa nagbabadyang kakulangan sa suplay.

"Ang gusto natin ay isang kasiguraduhan sa gitna ng babala ng iba't ibang sektor hinggil sa numinipis na reserba ng kuryente na maaaring humantong sa panahon ng halalan at sa kasunod pang mga linggo. Dapat merong back-up plan kung sakaling pumalya ang mga planta na maaaring magpalala ng sitwasyon ng suplay. At dahil nasa Alert Level 1 na ang Metro Manila at marami pang ibang lungsod, asahan na nating tataas ang konsumo ng kuryente," sabi ni Gatchalian.

"Kailangang tiyakin natin ang lahat ng posibleng solusyon. Ito ang pangunahing responsibilidad ng DOE. Napakahalaga ng pagiging handa sa anumang maaaring mangyari upang masiguro ang tuloy-tuloy na suplay ng kuryente lalo na pagdating ng eleksyon upang matiyak rin ang malinis na halalan. Dito nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng higit 100 milyong Pilipino sa susunod na anim na taon," dagdag pa niya.

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