Transformer overload has caused the recent power outages in some parts of its franchise areas and not because of inadequate power supply, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) assured its consumers.
Meralco also noted that there are no signs of yellow or red alert notice in power supply.
“With sharp decline in demand due to ECQ [enhanced community quarantine], we’re not seeing yellow and red alerts in the coming months. In fact, we have a huge buffer of power supply in the coming months,” Meralco head of networks Ronnie Aperocho was quoted in a report.
A yellow power alert is raised when there’s a drop below the required 647 MW contingency in Luzon. It also means thin power reserves.
A red alert notice is issued when there is severe power deficiency, without any contingency reserve. This is when power interruptions are expected to occur.
During enhanced community quarantine, Meralco noticed a drop in their peak demand by almost 40 percent to a low of 4,516 MW in March 2020 and further to 4,289 MW in April 2020.
The grid’s available capacity stands at 11, 201 MW every week of May. Demand is expected to go8,325 MW on Week 1; then, 8,337 MW on Week 2; and 8,370 MW on Week 3; and finally, 8,245 MW on Week 4.
With this, Meralco forecasted that there is a reserve of 2,876 MW on Week 1; 2,864 MW on Week 2; 2,831 MW on Week 3; and 2,956 MW on Week 4.
Meralco expects gross power reserve to hit over 3,000 MW as available capacity is estimated at 11,569 MW every week, in June.
The first week of June’s demand could hit 8,367 MW; 8,266 MW on the second week; 8,319 MW on the third week; and 8,397 MW on the fourth week. This leaves a gross reserve of 3,202 MW on Week 1; 3,303 MW on Week 2; 3,250 MW on Week 3; and 3,172 MW on Week 4.
