System operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said it would not allow power plant maintenance activities during peak months to avoid incidents of power outages.
NGCP assured that future submissions of all maintenance that will fall within the peak period will be declined to avoid issues on unscheduled power interruptions.
The grid operator recently met with industry stakeholders, including the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Regulatory Commission, National Transmission Corporation and other agencies to discuss the power industry’s most pressing issues.
Aside from the power facilities’ preventive maintenance shutdowns, NGCP also sought collaboration with the DOE and other agencies to resolve issues on reserves and transmission facility investments.
On the issue of ancillary services, the grid firm said it is still awaiting clarification on some matters regarding DOE guidelines. The company said this is crucial to effectively and efficiently comply with the directive to convert non-firm contracts to firm contracts.
Regarding the delays in the Grid Operations and Maintenance Program (GOMP) and Transmission Development Plan submission, the NGCP said that current delays were due to clarifications sought from the DOE regarding the grid operator’s submissions last year.
But the NGCP said it complied with its submission of the 2021-2023 GOMP to the DOE for approval last June, endorsing the same for its concurrence to Independent Electricity Market Operation of the Philippines.
The GOMP defines the plan and scheduling of power plant maintenance activities to ensure that power generating firms won’t be doing them simultaneously, resulting in the thinning of power supply. Simultaneous plant shutdowns were the culprit of the Red Alerts leading to the rotational brownouts in Luzon from May 31-June 2.