Alsons Power said its 237-megawatt Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) coal-fired power plant remained fully operational despite the magnitude 6.6 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 26, allowing it to continue supplying electricity to the Mindanao grid.

The earthquake was felt across parts of Mindanao, including Sarangani Province, where the baseload power plant is located. The company said both of SEC’s 118.5-MW generating units continued operating without interruption following the latest seismic event.

The continued operation comes weeks after the plant underwent restoration work following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Mindanao on June 8.

According to Alsons Power, Unit 1 was restored on June 11, while Unit 2 was synchronized with the grid on June 14, less than a week after the earlier earthquake. As engineering evaluations continued amid aftershocks, Unit 1 was temporarily taken offline on June 14 for additional restoration work and assessments before being safely synchronized back to the grid on June 23.

“Given the power supply conditions, it was with a sincere sense of urgency that we brought SEC back online as soon as possible,” said Antonio Miguel B. Alcantara, chief executive officer of Alsons Power.

“While we moved quickly to restore operations, we never compromised safety. Every decision we made was guided by our responsibility to protect our people and stakeholders, ensure the integrity of our facilities, and deliver reliable power to the communities and industries we serve,” he added. 

Following critical testing and engineering evaluations, the company said both generating units have been fully and safely synchronized with the grid.

“The safe and swift restoration of SEC is a testament to the dedication, expertise, and resilience of our teams who worked tirelessly following the earthquake,” Alcantara said. 

Alsons Power said it will continue carrying out scheduled assessments, preventive maintenance, and any additional restoration work needed to help ensure the long-term integrity and reliability of the facility.

Alongside its operational recovery efforts, the company said it also deployed relief assistance to employees and earthquake-affected communities in Sarangani Province and General Santos City, distributing food packs, drinking water, hot meals, and other essential supplies through the Alcantara Group.

How important is power plant resilience in strengthening the reliability of Mindanao’s power supply amid increasing natural disasters? Join the discussion.

Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join our Viber community for more news and updates  on the Philippine energy sector.