DOE-Visayas gears up for El Niño effects on energy industry

Engineer Jose Rey Maleza, head of the Energy Management Industry Division of DOE-Visayas, says that the DOE-Visayas is preparing for the El Niño effects on the energy industry. | Futch Anthony Inso

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Energy-Visayas (DOE-Visayas)  is preparing for the effect of the El Niño phenomenon on the energy industry.

Engineer Jose Rey Maleza, head of the Energy Management Industry Division of DOE-Visayas, said that among the measures they were initiating was making sure that all power plants were in good shape, including their distribution.

“We are already finalizing our contingency plans in case of any untoward incidents that will happen,” Maleza said.

READ: DA eyes hydroelectric plants, cloud seeding to lessen El Niño effects

Earlier, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that the El Niño phenomenon would likely hit the country in the second half of the year.

Power at normal status

However, Maleza said that currently, the region’s power supply was still at its normal status.

READ: Ahead of El Niño: Water rationing starts in some Cebu City brgys

“In spite of that, our reserve nato ron dili pa gyud ingon nga on a critical level, in spite of the weather condition,  in spite of the climate kay init-init man gyud. Pero dili pa gyud ingon  ana kataas ang atong demand,” he said.

(In spite of that, our reserves now is not really on a critical level, in spite of the weather condition, in spite of the climate because we are experiencing hot weather now. But the demand is not yet as high.)

READ: Cebu City’s Agriculture Department prepares for impact of El Niño

Power supply from Mindanao

Aside from this, Maleza said that they were also expecting additional power supply from the Mindanao connection after the Visayas grid and the Mindanao grid of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) had already been connected.

Maleza said that they were expecting around 180 megawatts to 300 megawatts of power supply from Mindanao.

“Mao na siya karon ang connection nato from Dumanjug to Mindanao. We are still awaiting the notice from the NGCP kung unsa na ang status,” he said.

(That is now our connection from Dumanjug to Mindanao. We are still awaiting the notice from the NGCP on what the status is.)

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