Longer brownouts in Davao Light service areas due to depleting power source

DAVAO CITY, April 11 (PIA) Residents have to increase their patience as the Davao Light and Power Company announces to extend the rotating brownouts from four to five hours in all its service areas due to the depleting energy sources due to the long dry spell.

Art Milan, chief operating officer and vice president of the Davao Light said the additional brownout will occur from between 8:00 and 11:00 o’clock in the evening.

He said that based on the latest reading of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, currently Mindanao has a systems capacity 1,343 megawatts while the current demand is 1,405 megawatts, consequently needing 62 megawatts to run normally.

“The situation prevails even if the Aboitiz Power gives 300 megawatts to the Mindanao Grid.  The reduction of energy from the hydropower source is so big that it can no longer supply effectively to the whole Mindanao,” Milan said.

He said the capacity of hydro- electric sources is 982 megawatts, but its actual production is only 108 megawatts.

Milan said Agus 1 and 2 have accessibility issues.

He said earlier, its operation was hampered by the toppling down of Tower number 25.

“Now that it is restored, still the NGCP cannot use it because of vegetation problem and anyone is barred from entering this area,” Milan said.

He said the Pulangi river operation has reduced from 355 megawatts to 24 megawatts.

Milan said that under normal circumstances, Pulangi River produces 100 to 220 megawatts.

“Because of the low water situation, it can produce 24 megawatts only,” he said.

Milan said only the cities of Iligan and Digos do not have brownouts nowadays because of the low demand of electricity in these areas.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)