Thursday, July 10, 2008 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
THE Mindanao power sector has gradually veered away from dependency on imported oil-based power generation.
This was reported by Dr. Manuel L. Llaneza, director of the Department of Energy-Mindanao field office, who said there was less utilization of high priced oil-based products resulting in the reduction of the supply requirement for oil-based generation facilities in the island from 23 percent in 2006 to 19 percent in 2007.
Llaneza said the total power generated during both periods increased from 7,414 MW to 7,890 MW. However, the power generation mix from hydroelectric plants reduced from 60 percent to 50 percent while those from coal-fired plants increased from 6 percent to 20 percent and those from the geo-thermal plants and solar plants stayed at 11 percent and 0.02 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, the power supply profile of Mindanao last year showed it had a rated capacity of 1,933 MW while its dependable capacity, which allows for a .065 percent safe power reserve in electric power of the island on a daily basis, has been placed at 1,682 MW.
Of the rated capacity, the hydroelectric plants posted the biggest share of 998 MW or 52 percent, followed by oil-based plants with 594 MW or 31 percent, coal-fired plants with 232MW or 12 percent, geothermal plants with 108 MW or six percent, and solar plants, one MW or 0.1 percent.
As to the dependable capacity, the hydroelectric plants also posted the biggest share of 902MW or 54 percent, followed by oil-based plants with 478MW or 28 percent, coal-fired plants with 201 MW or 12 percent, geothermal plants with 100 MW or six percent and solar plants, also with one MW or 0.1 percent.
Llaneza said by 2014, the island's required capacity is expected to increase to 2,556 MW from 1,565MW in 2006 while its peak demand will also increase to 2,112 MW from last year's 1,293 MW.
The required capacity refers to the peak demand plus the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)-approved reserve margin above the peak demand of 21 percent or 2.8 percent load following the frequency regulation, 9.1 percent spinning reserve, and another 9.1 percent backup.
To meet these power needs, a total of 850MW capacity additions is required from the following indicative projects: a 100MW peaking plant in 2009, a 100MW baseload power plant in 2010, a 150 MW baseload power plant each from 2011 to 2013, and another baseload power plant with 200MW capacity in 2014, Llaneza added. (PIA)
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