The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is projecting tighter power operating margins in the Visayas and Mindanao grids as demand for electricity continues to increase.
In its Power Situation Outlook for Tuesday, NGCP reported that the Visayas grid has 2,678 megawatts (MW) of available generating capacity against a projected system peak demand of 2,431 MW, leaving an operating margin of 247 MW.
Meanwhile, Mindanao has an available generating capacity of 3,130 MW against a projected peak demand of 2,511 MW, giving the grid an operating margin of 619 MW.
The outlook was based on data available as of 10 a.m. on Monday.
The figures show a considerably tighter supply-demand balance in the two grids compared with Luzon, which has 16,617 MW of available generating capacity against a projected peak demand of 12,339 MW.
According to NGCP, this gives the Luzon grid an operating margin of 4,278 MW.
NGCP also stated that the outlook underscores the importance of maintaining sufficient generating capacity as demand rises, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao grids where operating margins are substantially narrower.
In Mindanao, the projected 2,511-MW peak demand leaves a 619-MW margin. The available buffer provides room for fluctuations in demand and generation availability, but continued growth in electricity consumption could increase pressure on the grid.
The Visayas has an even narrower projected margin of 247 MW, based on NGCP’s latest outlook.
Adequate generation capacity is critical to maintaining grid stability as electricity demand from households, businesses and industries grows. New generation projects, alongside timely transmission investments, are expected to play an important role in meeting future requirements.
NGCP emphasized that the latest figures highlight the continuing need for investments in power generation and transmission infrastructure to ensure that the Visayas and Mindanao grids can accommodate increasing electricity demand while maintaining reliable service.
