Yellow alert status might increase prices of electricity in Visayas, MORE Power warns
By Tara Yap
MORE Power monitoring prices of electricity from suppliers.
ILOILO CITY — The series of yellow alert status by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) last month might increase prices of electricity in the Visayas, MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) warned.
MORE Power said that not only Iloilo City or Iloilo province is affected by four yellow alert advisories between Aug. 1 to 6.
A yellow alert occurs when power supply falls bellow the capacity of NGCP’s largest generating unit and cannot supply the needed power demand.
“Last month, prices of electricity went up as there was a short in supply in the whole country,” said Niel Parcon, MORE Power Vice President for Corporate Energy Sourcing and Regulatory Affairs.
“Unfortunately, we in the Visayas are the hardest hit. Panay Island particularly is at the tailend of NGCP’s transmission line network,” Parcon said.
Visayas had a consumption of 2,475 megawatts (MWs) but the NGCP only had a margin of 53 MWs when it only secured 2,528 MWs of supply during that period. This margin is very critical.
The Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed 14 generation facilities, including coal plants, were offline between Aug. 1 to 6.
As a power distribution utility, MORE Power relies on these power plants for supply.
MORE Power assured consumers in Iloilo City that they are carefully monitoring prices of suppliers so power rates will gradually return to normal.