The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that Unit 1 of the Sual coal-fired power plant will undergo unscheduled maintenance from April 29 until May 1, 2023. 

The maintenance was due to a leak detected in the boiler tube of the 647 MW power plant.  Moreover, to mitigate the increase in temperature, it is essential to clean the generator stator lot bar.

To avoid worsening conditions, the Sual Unit 1 now operates at a derated capacity of 580 MW as opposed to its original capacity of 647 MW. 

The decision was agreed upon by the DOE, TeaM Sual Corporation (TSC), and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP),. 

The DOE is hopeful that there will be little to no power interruptions since it falls on a long weekend and the demand is low during this time.

To maintain the supply and demand during this operation, DOE coordinated with the Manila Electricity Company (MERALCO) and other electricity suppliers to extend the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) to help mitigate impact should power interruptions and supply deficiency are anticipated in the grid.

The DOE is also requesting the public to use electricity for necessary purposes during the demand hours of 11:00 AM – 12:00 NN, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, and 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM. All offices and residences that are using air conditioners are urged to place their thermostats at 25 degrees Celsius. 

On April 24, DOE received a notice of the maintenance originally set to a duration of 7 days. However, that duration would result in a yellow or red alert during the first and second week of May.