DOE tells lawmakers it is ready for La Niña

MANILA — The Department of Energy and the National Electrification Administration assured lawmakers that they are prepared for the onset of La Niña.

DOE Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said contingency plans are in place and that there is enough power supply especially with the completion and energization of the Mindanao Visayas Interconnection Project and the Cebu-Negros-Panay Backbone Project. He said these will prevent a repeat of the January blackout in Panay.

“Even if we had issuances of red and yellow alerts in the Visayas wala naman pong massive service interruptions. That is primarily because we have already completed the Mindanao Visayas Interconnection Project that is now capable of importing capacities to the tune of 450 megawatts from Mindanao to Visayas so kung meron po tayong deficiency in terms of supply sa Visayas, kaya pong i-fill up yan and that would be in addition to the current transfer from Luzon to Visayas,” Marasigan said.

Meralco, he added, has also submitted its contingency plan that includes close coordination with First Gen units on the use of the Malampaya gas pipeline as temporary storage of natural gas by using LNG to increase the linepack pressure prior to landfall of the storm and running of units on alternate fuel to supplement available gas supply in the pipeline if needed.

The NEA meanwhile said electric cooperatives had been tasked to come up with emergency response plans that must contain cooperatives’ preparedness and strategies, key emergency contacts, training and drills, after emergency action review, communication, prioritization on restoring power, organization chart and responsibilities of the energy restoration team, information and technology security procedures, among others.