The Visayan Electric Co. substation in Barangay Ermita is one of the power distributors power substations in Metro Cebu. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Cebuanos can expect more power interruptions within the coming days.
Because no maintenance work will be allowed a week before the elections up to when election-related activities are over, the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) will do its maintenance and site upgrading now and within the next few days.
The website of the power distributor, www.veco.com.ph posted that there will be power interruptions today from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Barangay Kasambagan, Mabolo, Cebu City and in Barangays Subangdaku, Banilad, and Tipolo in Mandaue City as Veco will be replacing rotten poles and reconstruct overhead lines.
On Monday (April 18), there will be a nine-hour power interruption (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) in Barangay Talamban for a transformer upgrading.
There will also be a power interruption from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Barangays Zapatera and Cogon Ramos for the installation of poles and transformers.
On Tuesday (April 19), portions of Barangays Mambaling and Basak San Nicolas will experience a power interruption from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. due to transformer upgrading and pole replacement.
There will also be a power interruption in Barangay Sambag II from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to facilitate the installation of primary poles and primary standard construction.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, there will be a power interruption along portions of Barangays Carreta and Mabolo to facilitate primary line reconstruction from 9 p.m. of April 19 to 7 a.m. of April 20 .
Barangay Zapatera will experience a power outage anew on Thursday, April 21 to facilitate pole relocation.
LOW RESERVE
At 7 p.m. yesterday, the Visayas grid only had 82 megawatts (MW) reserve after system peak reached 1,709 MW. Its system capacity was 1,791 MW.
Betty Martinez, spokesperson for the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)-Visayas, said that despite the low reserve, Luzon augmented its reserve, and, thus, there is enough supply.
“The reserve augmented from Luzon is not reflected at the website’s bulletin, but we assure that there is enough reserve for Visayas grid,” Martinez told Cebu Daily News.
She said the reserve power for Visayas should not be lower than 200 MW.
Despite the low reserve posted at NGCP website, Martinez said they have not received any advisory alert yesterday.
Peak demand is usually 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
At 2 p.m. yesterday, there was high power reserve which was at 715 MW.
The system peak was at 1,405 MW while its capacity was at 2,120 MW.
Martinez said that the cause of the high reserve at that time could be due to fewer establishments operating over the weekend.
The Visayas grid was placed under “yellow alert” last Friday because of low power reserves.
This was because power plants in Luzon were under preventive maintenance in preparation for the May elections.
Last Friday’s peak demand was at 1,751 MW.
Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada had earlier announced that no maintenance will be allowed a week before and after the elections, which is considered as critical period.
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