POWER-HUNGRY Mindanao will have an oversupply of electricity starting early 2016, the energy department’s top official said.
However, this does not guarantee that the country’s second-largest island will no longer experience any brownout after that time.
“Based on projection, by late 2015 or early 2016 early, the start of oversupply will kick in. During that time, the supply will be enough then it will gain momentum of oversupply by 2017,” Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said in
an interview.
The demand for power in Mindanao has continuously increased through the years with rapid urbanization and increased industrialization yet, no new power could be sourced.
Thus brownouts, for as long as 10 hours, crippled the region in the past. As fear worsened, the private sector, particularly the bigwigs who hail from the region, made a commitment to start building new power plants.
“There will be an oversupply, because the commercial operation of the many firsts among the many units of power plants of Aboitiz, San Miguel, Alsons, FDC will be put up simultaneously,” Petilla said.
Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc.’s (ACR) Sarangani Energy Corp. is in the advanced stages of construction of its first 105-megawatt (MW) coal-power plant in Maasim, Sarangani.
“In 2015 we shall see the beginning of the end to the Mindanao power shortage. By end of this year, SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission] will operate the first 105 MW of its 210-MW coal plant in Sarangani. SEC will generate much-needed base- load power to help provide solution to Mindanao,” ACR Corporate Secretary Roberto San Jose said.
ACR Chairman and President Tomas Alcantara said 2015 is the beginning of the end to Mindanao’s power shortage. “We now see light at end of tunnel in Mindanao.”
Therma South Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power, is set to commercially operate Unit 2 (150 MW) of its base-load power plant by end of June this year. The commercial operation of Unit 1, which was delayed for 10 months, is scheduled in February 2016.
“Aboitiz Power’s main interest is to help Mindanao avoid repeating the big problem of the past where it failed to build the power plants needed before the demand for power kicked in. As a consequence, most parts of Mindanao have, for years and until today, been experiencing prolonged and frequent brownouts and it’s growth and development has been severely affected,” said Manuel Orig, AboitizPower first vice president for Mindanao affairs.
San Miguel Corp.’s first 150 MW of the planned 600-MW power facility is expected to commercially operate in the early part of next year.
Likewise, FDC’s 135 MW out of the 405-MW total capacity will be finished middle of next year. “It’s a full-blown construction. Whether it would be finished in time is another question,” Petilla said.
However, Petilla said Mindanao may continue to experience rotating brownouts even if there is oversupply. “I can’t predict. The dates of commissioning and commercial operation are all based on their submission,” Petilla added.
“You will never know until they are commissioning. When actual target date is still far, they are on schedule. However, as the target date nears you see the possible delays. They are the ones building their power facilities so all we can do is wait,” Petilla said.