Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi wants all energy industry players to prepare measures that would mitigate potential impacts of disasters in power supply amid the recent eruption of the Mayon Volcano in Albay.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a circular requiring power companies to submit a Resiliency Compliance Plan (RCP) that will determine infrastructure and manpower preparedness during and in the aftermath of disruptive events.
RCPs should be submitted within six months and will be reviewed in three years. A budgetary requirement of the RCP implementation should also be included.
Amid the eruption of Mayon Volcano, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi stressed the significance of implementing the said policy.
“Your experience in resiliency must be seen in this current situation with Mayon (Volcano),” he said.
Cusi met with the members of the generation, transmission and distribution sector, and local government unit officials of Albay to discuss measures they would undertake.
AP Renewables Inc., Philippine Geothermal Production Company Inc. and Energy Development Corp. (EDC) said that they are already implementing resiliency plans, adding that their geothermal plants remain the same.
AP Renewables and the Philippine Geothermal Production Company owns the Tiwi Geothermal plant while EDC holds the BacMan geothermal plants in Albay.
Meanwhile, transmission facilities in Albay remain in normal operations according to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). The company said that it is looking into the protection of its facilities connecting Luzon and Visayas.
It has implemented maintenance procedures that included the cleanup of lines which did not result in any power interruption.
Distribution services are also under normal conditions except a few barangays in the danger zone of the volcano, the National Electrification Administration, and Albay Electric Cooperative Inc. said.
The two said that they are closely coordinating with the NGCP in terms of distribution operations.