The Mindanao Development Authority through the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) assured consumers and stakeholders of Mindanao of a stable and reliable power supply.
Based on the daily monitoring of the Department of Energy (DOE) shared by MinDA, the Mindanao grid as of June 2, 2021 reached peak demand of 1,928 megawatts (MW) with an available capacity of 2,780 MW, thereby having a gross reserve or supply excess of 852 MW.
“While our power supply is considered to be stable, we continue to pursue measures and approaches to support expected rise in the demand for power while keeping energy rates cost-effective as the economy recovers from the pandemic, and industries reset operations to pre-Covid levels,” said Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, chairman of MinDA.
Dr. Adrian Tamayo, communications head of MinDA, assured there is excess power and no rotational brownout to happen in Mindanao including Davao City.
In a statement, MinDA stated that Mindanao’s energy is a crucial factor in the overall socio-economic development of the island making sure that supply is reliable and stable to support economic recovery from the impact of the pandemic and an expected rise in demand when industries return to pre-Covid operational levels.
Piñol added that one of the measures being put forward is the policy push to keep the ownership and control of the state-owned Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex.
He said MinDA’s position is against the privatization of Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complex, which is deemed best left in the hands of the government but defining its role in an era of market competition.
“We need these assets to not just tame future supply volatilities but also continue fulfilling its obligation to serve especially the marginalized areas,” Piñol added.
Recently, MinDA hosted Mindanao Power Forum 2021 that aims to cover sessions on the unprecedented social and economic disruptions brought about by the pandemic, as well as the efforts and way forward for a more resilient Mindanao with the sustainable and reliable power source.
The MPMC is co-chaired by MinDA and the DOE with members that include Energy Regulation Commission (ERC), National Power Corporation (NPC), National Electrification Administration (NEA), Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives (AMRECO), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), Mindanao Power Electric Alliance (MEPA), and the National Transmission Corporation.
