MANILA — The Department of Energy (DOE) on Monday called for public cooperation to minimize use of electricity following the substantial decrease of available power supply in Luzon amid the typhoon.
In a virtual press conference, DOE Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla encouraged everyone to conserve energy to minimize the dispatch of more expensive oil-based power plants.
Lotilla said the DOE has been working on the improvement of the power supply for the coming days. “We would like to ask everyone’s cooperation to minimize the use of electricity in Luzon Grid. The typhoon caused substantial decrease in the available power supply in the grid at the time when the hydropower plants have not recovered from low water supply,” Lotilla said.
“While we look forward to the power supply improving in the coming days, the Department encourages everyone to conserve energy in order to minimize dispatch of the more expensive oil-based power plants,” he added.
The Energy Secretary also encouraged commercial industrial consumers to participate in the interruptible load program as he said the oil-based powerplants have been utilized as temporary power source to Luzon grid in the absence of the hydro powerplants.
“The oil-based powerplants however, have been useful in so far as providing power to the grid, particularly in the absence of the hydro powerplants. Commercial industrial consumers are being encouraged to continue to participate in the interruptible load program,” he said.
Lotilla also said the 1200 MW Ilihan Powerplant was shut down last May 25, 2024 due to its disconnection and relocation along with the Pagbilao units 1 and 2 (with a total capacity of 764MW) and unit 3 with a capacity of 420MW.
The Masinloc 3, with a capacity of 335MW, was also shut down along with the San Buenaventura with a capacity of 455MW. The Botocan, with a capacity of 20.8MW, also went on outage due to the typhoon last May 26, 2024. (PND)
