The Department of Energy (DOE) has said that relief from the Panay power crisis is less than a month away along with the completion of the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) transmission upgrade expected by the end of March.
According to the DOE, the regular maintenance shutdown of the Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) is set to conclude by the same deadline.
Additionally, the energy department stressed the importance of cooperation between generators, distribution utilities, and the system operator to uphold grid stability and swiftly address any power disruptions.
DOE said in a statement, “While waiting for the completion of the transmission upgrade and maintenance of PCPC, the general public is encouraged to conserve energy, especially for the month of March.”
Panay Island relies on four large coal power plants, with a collective capacity of 451 megawatts (MW) alongside nine smaller diesel/bunker and renewable energy facilities with a combined capacity of 220.3 MW. Notably, the island can draw an additional 280 MW from Negros through an underwater cable.
The total demand for Panay Island falls below 400 MW.
PCPC, one of the major coal power plants, is currently in the midst of its routine maintenance shutdown, scheduled until March 30.
At the beginning of March, the three units of Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC) were shut down, triggering a partial blackout across the Panay sub-grid and certain areas of Negros. Initially, around 80 MW of Panay’s power demand was met through the Negros-Panay submarine cable, later supplemented by smaller local power plants.
DOE stated that the System Operator has implemented short-term strategies, such as utilizing 10% headroom of the large coal plants as a contingency reserve, to address immediate concerns. Meanwhile, long-term solutions, including the activation of various renewable and conventional power plants and the completion of transmission projects, are underway to bolster power generation capabilities and support the growth of load centers.
