Blackouts hit Baguio anew; folks hit power firms for lack of info

BAGUIO CITY — The implementation of the two-hour rotating blackouts drew the ire of many residents and businessmen here since the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and the Benguet Electric Coop. failed to provide them advance notice of the blackouts.

Unannounced rotating blackouts resumed in this mountain resort city and nearby Benguet province after the declared a red alert level in the power supply for the Luzon grid.

The blackout is implemented from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in most parts of Baguio and Benguet while the remaining areas will have their turn from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. daily.

The implementation of the rotating blackouts is part of the mitigating measures being done by NGCP to address the depletion of the power supply in the Luzon grid brought about by low production of hydro power plants as well as the non-operation of some gas and coal-fired power plants which are undergoing preventive maintenance.

Because of the worsening effects of the El Nino phenomenon, the 360-megawatt Magat dam in Ramon, Isabela, the 75-megawatt Binga dam in Itogon, Benguet and the 345-megawatt San Roque dam in San Manuel, Pangasinan have already reduced their operations by 90 percent since the in-flow of water have significantly dropped due to the drying up of the river systems.

The NGCP could not predict until when will be the rotating blackouts will be implemented since this will depend on the power requirements and the power supply being produced by the operating power plants in the different parts of Luzon.

While there were intermittent rains that poured in some parts of Northern Luzon over the past days, experts said it was not enough to fill up the water requirements of the hydro power plants to make them fully operational and operate to their maximum level of power production.

Various sectors in Baguio and Benguet demanded from power distributors to make advance announcements of the rotating blackouts so that they could set up alternative sources of power at the proper time.