Philippines: Kepco says they can help stabilize power situation in Metro Cebu

Philippines: Kepco says they can help stabilize power situation in Metro
Cebu

The Naga City-based Kepco SPC Power Corp. (KSPC) is offering to help
stabilize supply of power in Cebu especially in Metro Cebu.

"Despite the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that jolted the Visayas last July 6,
KSPC assures consumers in the Visayas that its power plants can supply
stable power to the region," Seoghee Yoo, KSPC marketing manager, said in a
statement on Thursday.

KSPC owns and operates the 2 x 100-Megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plants in
the City of Naga, Cebu.

Of the two power plants, Unit 1 is operating in normal condition while Unit
2, which has been undergoing preventive maintenance since June 28 before the
quake occurred, is scheduled to come online by Thursday, July 20.

"We are exerting all efforts to hasten the preventive maintenance works that
our power plants can operate at its full 200 MW capacity and help stabilize
the power supply in the Visayas," Yoo added.

The power company supplies electricity to Tacloban City in Leyte, Tagbilaran
City in Bohol, Mactan Electric Company (Meco) in the Island of Mactan, the
northern part of Cebu through its Cebu II Electric Cooperative Inc., (Cebeco
II), the southern part of Cebu through Cebu I Electric Cooperative Inc.
(Cebeco I) and all the five electric cooperatives in the entire Negros
Island Region.

While KSPC has no power supply contract with and thus, has no obligation to
supply power to the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco), the KSPC said it was ready
to supply power, through an emergency power supply agreement, to Veco.

The franchise area of Veco includes the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay and
Naga and four municipalities of the greater part of Metro Cebu - Liloan,
Consolacion, Minglanilla and San Fernando.

But according to Veco, it is NGCP's call.

"Because of the power situation, WESM (Wholesale Electric Spot Market) is
suspended and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is now
handling the dispatch of power to the different electric distribution
utilities," Veco said in a statement.

"KSPC generates the necessary capacity so that it can stabilize the Visayas
grid, which is presently suffering from rotational load-shedding (or) power
interruptions due to limited supply coming from the geothermal power plants
in Leyte. KSPC will, however, prioritize its customers on the power supply"
Yoo said.

Furthermore, KSPC urged the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to
quickly facilitate the restoration of lines going to Leyte and Bohol, so it
can transmit its supply to Leyte and Bohol islands.

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Link to Original Article:
http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/139470/power-supply-offer

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com