Mindanao could avail of untapped 360MW

Mindanao could draw 360 megawatts of untapped supply through an interim Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

Philippine Electricity Market Corporation's Melinda L. Ocampo explained that the capacity that may be channeled to the spot market will come from the “over-contracted capacity” of the distribution utilities; while the rest will be from embedded generation facilities. “So it is a combination of demand-side management and market,” she said.

“The DUs have over-contracted capacities but they cannot share it to the grid because there’s no market, so they are just keeping it. From that alone, we may have 180MW, and if we include supply that we can expect from the embedded facilities, it could reach up to 360MW,” says Ocampo.

With a market in place, non-settlement of obligations is not acceptable therefore PSALM’s direction is being sought on how it shall deal with its EC receivables.

The extra supply may help ease brownout conditions in the energy-starved grid.

Energy Secretary Rene D. Almendras has ordered the setting up of the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market on May, 2013 or prior to the strike of the summer months when hydro-dependent Mindanao grid hits its most problematic supply condition again.

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