Workers from the Davao Light Power Company repairing power lines along Obrero Street in Davao City. (davaotoday.com file photo by Medel V. Hernani)
DAVAO CITY — The continuing preventive maintenance shutdown (PMS), technical term for the shutdown of operations, of coal-fired power plants still contribute to the tight power supply situation in Davao.
Rotating power interruptions are also projected to continue until summer, the franchise holder, Davao Light and Power Co. said.
The PMS, according to STEAG, is the first this year and is “necessary to ensure optimum availability of its capacity during the critical period, which is summer.”
In a statement on Friday,March 4, DLPC said with the PMS of STEAG’s plant power supply allocation for Davao Light will be further reduced.
“This will now translate to 1 to 2 hours duration of the rotating power interruptions within the franchise. However, this may change without further notice, depending on the available power supply in an hourly basis,” said DLPC.
Davao Light said that due to the unstable power supply in Mindanao caused by the decreasing water elevation of major NPC-PSALM hydro power plants because of El Niño phenomenon and the bombings of the NGCP transmission lines, any additional power plant that will be offline will have a significant effect in the power situation within its franchise.
Davao Today tried to contact the NGCP regarding the status of their towers, but the NGCP has yet to issue its statement.
It said the power situation is also expected to improve when the new generating plants in Mindanao, which Davao Light has contracted additional power supply, are made available in May and August this year. (davaotoday.com)
