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Summer power peak demand exceeds forecast at 10,561 MW

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)
BW FILE PHOTO

PRIVATELY-OWNED National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said on Tuesday that no major power transmission-related issues had been reported during the past summer season when electricity demand reached its peak.

In a statement on Tuesday, NGCP said it recorded this year’s peak load demand at 10,876 megawatts (MW) at 1:53 p.m. on May 28 in the Luzon grid, breaching the demand forecast of 10,561 MW set by the Department of Energy’s power development plan.

“We are pleased to report that despite the load for the Luzon grid steadily increasing year on year, NGCP has always been one step ahead of the trend,” the company said.

“Our grid operations and maintenance plan, along with our blackout drill and generator’s conference, are important tools in our preparedness for the peak load months not only for Luzon, but also for Visayas and Mindanao during the year’s end,” it added.

NGCP attributed the successful management of power transmission services to its timely implementation of transmission projects and major improvements in the Luzon grid.

The upgrades include the Santiago-Tuguegarao 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, the relocation of towers of the San Esteban-Laoag 230 kV line, the eastern Albay 69-kV line, and various substation upgrading projects.

NGCP said the grid operator would “continue to provide reliable power transmission services through the proper execution of its mandate to excellently operate, efficiently maintain, and continuously expand the country’s transmission network.”

It said critical projects, such as the Mindanao-Visayas interconnection project, the Cebu-Negros-Panay interconnection project, and various 500-kV transmission line projects in Luzon are key factors in the improvement of the country’s transmission highway.

“Every year, we see an aggressive rise in load growth, which means our country is developing in such a fast pace,” the company said.

“The continuous support of energy stakeholders, local government units, and the public is the most crucial aspect of the planning and execution of all our activities, and with combined efforts, we will be able to fulfill our mandate and ultimately bridge power and the progress of the nation,” it added.

NGCP is in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. — Victor V. Saulon

 

Source: BusinessWorld