Power One Corporation has delivered 6 MW worth of power replacement in Southern Oriental Mindoro to prevent power interruptions in the area as one of its major sources of electricity is hydro, which could be intermittent during summer time.
The power firm delivered an initial capacity of 4 MW for the generating set. A 2 MW additional capacity was then added to the request of the area’s power utility Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO) and the provincial government, according to a report.
Power One added that power interruptions take place “due to the drop in mini-hydro generation resulting from low water levels this summer in four mini-hydro locations in the northern part of the province.”
The power firm added that the emergency facility primarily leveled at 5 MW, which was then increased to 6 MW as of April 30.
Power One has a contract with ORMECO to deliver a net capacity of 9 MW until 2032. However, one of its main engines with a capacity of 4 MW had been removed due to “external faults from the Mindoro grid.”
This should have been replaced by April, however the key component of the equipment did not arrive due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns.
Power One also noted that it is also assisting ORMECO in addressing power interruptions in the southern part of Pinamalayan, which needed deployment and a separate contract arrangement for 4-MW capacity for six months. The commissioning date is May 14th.
“ORMECO had been trying to install power-generating capacities in the southern part of the province to prevent the area from being isolated whenever there are problems transmitting power from the north where most of its contracted power plants are located including all the mini-hydro and wind plants,” Power One said.
ORMECO also contracted additional 10MW capacity of “emergency power” from another provider COSMO for increasing the power capacity in Calapan. This was intended to last for six months.