Luzon Grid has 2,000 MW reserve for May 9 elections

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=882781
• Thursday, May 5, 2016

(PNA), LAM/LVM/FMA

DAGUPAN CITY, May 5 (PNA) -- The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the Luzon Grid will have up to 2,000 megawatts as standby power before, during and after the election on May 9.

Efren Balaoing, a DOE official in Northern Luzon, said this is being reserved to ensure that there will be no power interruption when the Filipinos go to their respective polls to exercise their right of suffrage.

At the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP) forum here on Thursday, he said the power reserve is on top of the available power in the Luzon Grid totaling at least 800 megawatts, aside from the 100 megawatts and 415 megawatts produced by various small generating plants.

Of the 800 megawatts available, he said 75 percent are being distributed to the Meralco franchise areas.

Meanwhile, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) as well as the power distributors in Pangasinan assured that there will be no electric interruption before, during and after the elections.

Lilibeth Gaydowen, NGCP corporate communications officer in Northern Luzon, assured that there will be no electric interruption in Norfhern Luzon, two weeks before and two weeks after the election.

She said all the facilities of NGCP, particularly in Pangasinan, are now ready for the elections following line inspection conducted by NGCP line patrols.

Gaydowen said on May 8 to 12, six line crews -- each composed of eight men -- will be mobilized to immediately respond in case of emergency.

Meanwhile, the Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative (Cenpelco) has formed quick response groups in case of any untoward incident before, during and after the election. Its preparation is being monitored by the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

The Dagupan Electric Corporation (Decorp) has checked all its lines as well as transformers on electric poles, especially those going to different polling centers.

On May 9, Decorp has groups with standby generator sets that will be mobilized to their franchise areas.