Power supply critical in Mindanao

The daily brownouts in Mindanao may persist this year as no new generating capacity is expected to be added.

This was revealed by Energy Secretary Jose Almendras.

He also sated that Luzon may not brownouts this dry season despite tight power supply that requires 300 megawatts more during day-time peak hours.

On the other hand, the Visayas, except for a few islands, has escaped the power crisis with the commissioning of three new coal-powered plants in Cebu and Panay.

The new plants will be more than enough to meet peak demand and required reserve margins in the central Philippines group of islands, according to a Philippine Star report.

Electricity demand in Luzon went down last December and in January because of the cold weather, Almendras said.But he added that Luzon has very thin reserve and may need to import the excess capacity in the Visayas and activate the retired oil-fired generation plant in Navotas if the situation deteriorates.