ELECTRIC COOP ASKED TO EXPLAIN FREQUENT BROWNOUTS IN MABALACAT

BY KEVIN GALANG

MABALACAT City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo has asked the Pampanga II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PELCO II) to explain the frequent unscheduled power interruptions in the city.

Garbo instructed key officials from the local government unit (LGU) to meet with top representatives from PELCO II and ask for solutions to address the problem.

Officials of PELCO II “blamed” the brownouts to El Niño phenomenon, particularly the extreme temperature and heat index since March.

The electric cooperative said the extreme heat has spurred a heightened demand for power, leading to the shutdown of power-generating plants and the subsequent unscheduled power interruptions experienced in Mabalacat City.

To address the immediate, short-term, and long-term challenges affecting the city’s power supply, PELCO II outlined a series of actions to be taken, in coordination with the LGU.

For the immediate term, PELCO II plans to implement load transfer and load balancing among the three transformers to optimize power distribution and mitigate the impact of the unscheduled power interruptions.

With the help of the LGU,  PELCO II will reach out to major energy users in the city to encourage participation in the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) established by the Department of Energy (DOE).

For the short to medium term solution, PELCO II aims to expedite the completion of the Sta. Maria Power Sub-station by the first quarter of 2025, increasing its capacity to 25 MVA.

PELCO II said this strategic move is expected to enhance the overall power infrastructure and improve the reliability of the city’s power supply.

For the long term, PELCO II has committed to establish another power sub-station in Dau to enhance the capacity of the existing Mabiga sub-station.

It will likewise facilitate the construction and completion of the city’s waste-to-energy project to bolster the city’s power grid, ensure sustainability, and meet the growing energy demands of Mabalacat City.

Present during the meeting were Mabalacat City  administrator Franco Alejo Madlangbayan, Rosan Paquia of the CPDO, city engineer Rod De Leon, CIO head Jay Pelayo IV, and Mar Pangilinan, the MCG consultant on Utilities.

Representing PELCO II were engineer Enrique Y. Gamboa, head of Technical Services, engineer Marvin Sanidad, head of Systems Operations, engineer Marvin Delfin, head of Systems Design, engineer Delbren Maniago, maintenance supervisor, and Edward P. Timog, area head for Mabalacat City.

Garbo expressed optimism on the collaboration as he emphasized the importance of continued cooperation to resolve the power woes in the city.

The mayor earlier expressed his deep concern over the adverse effects of power outages on the city’s residents, businesses, and overall productivity.

He immediately sought for solutions to address the problem and ensure the uninterrupted power supply for the city.