Visayas is DOE’s main power supply concern amid El Niño threat

MANILA —The Department of Energy (DOE) on Monday said it does not see an overall power supply shortage despite anticipating a 60-percent reduction in hydropower generation due to El Niño.

“Given na ‘yun no? Nakikita natin ‘yun. Pero ‘yung pine-predict naming reduction sa solar sa simulations na ginawa natin, walang reduction ang solar,” Energy Undersecretary Mario Marasigan said.

(That is a given, right? We can see that. But we predict there will be no reduction in solar power generation.)

However, the Visayas is the agency’s main concern as its power supply depends on electricity imports from Luzon and Mindanao.

The agency warned that the Visayas could face power supply problems if El Niño affects Luzon and other areas, limiting electricity imports to the region.

“‘Yung effort na ginagawa natin ngayon ay (The effort we are doing now is) to concentrate and focus on what can we do for Visayas to stand on its own,” he said.

Marasigan also said Mindanao now has more coal-fired power plants, which incerases generation capacity in the region.

“So ang kailangan nating bantayan is ano ‘yung kanilang plant outages? Ma-maintain na nila ngayon para pagdating noong ano ‘yung pag-kick in talaga ng ng super El Niño, wala na mag-maintain,” he said.

(So what we have to watch for is when their plant outages are. That they conduct maintenance now so they will not have to do it when super El Niño kicks in.)