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Sunday, April 6, 2025 Vol. 20 No. 176
P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 16 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK
CUTTING THE RISKS OF A POWER CRUNCH A
By Lenie Lectura
ICSC’S RECOMMENDATIONS
VERTING blackouts in powerhungry Luzon is no easy feat, but reducing the risks could be an easy task if priorities are put in order. In its latest report, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) said flexibility and decentralization in the country’s system planning and policy-making are the long-term solutions that will help address recurring power supply challenges. The group said these are crucial to prioritize generation capacity builds, targeted to meet peak demand, which could reach 14,769
megawatts (MW) for Luzon, 3,111 MW for Visayas, and 2,789 MW for Mindanao this year. “While additional baseload power plants may seem like a solution, they are not well-suited to address the recurring power supply deficiencies,” it said. This is because baseload plants, such as coal-fired power plants, are not built to ramp up their supply of electricity quickly. Forcing them to cycle up and
FLEXIBLE & DISTRIBUTED ENERGY SYSTEMS n Fast-ramping plants, battery storage, pumped hydro n Power closer to where it’s consumed = better local response n Ideal for archipelagic PH geography DIVERSIFY ENERGY MIX n Move away from coal-heavy baseload focus n Support renewables & modular technologies LOCALIZED MONITORING n Real-time, granular data can prevent outages
down frequently can lead to more breakdowns and forced outages. “Instead of relying on more baseload plants, we need to diversify our power generation mix by investing in flexible generation sources like fast-ramping power plants, battery storage, and pumped hydro. These technologies
can quickly adjust to meet peak demand and provide the reserves needed to keep the grid stable, making them a better fit for our energy needs,” ICSC said. Furthermore, the group pointed out that securing sufficient reserve capacities via Ancillary Services Procurement
“The private sector needs to step up. It’s not fair to put all responsibility on the government.”—Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla
Agreements (ASPAs) or the reserve market will not fully address power supply deficiencies. This is because reserve capacities are drawn from the same pool of available generators. “To ensure a reliable power supply, it is es-
sential to prioritize new capacity builds that enhance grid flexibility and diversify the energy mix,” it added. ICSC said the recurring issue of power supply deficiency highlights the vulnerability of the current grid system. It therefore suggested a distributed generation which allows power to be produced closer to where it is consumed. “By decentralizing power generation, we can reduce dependence on large, centralized plants and better address localized energy needs. The Philippines’s archipelagic geography makes it particularly ideal for distributed energy systems, which can improve grid resilience and even expand energy access in remote and underserved areas,” it pointed out. Continued on A2
DREAM WEAVER With every loop and stitch, Adelieda Guia, a 55-year-old Baguio crochet artist, spins magic once more—this time unveiling a new giant mandala beside her earlier masterpiece, “Wishing Star.” Towering and intricate, her creations now grace the Ibagiw Creative Village at the Dominican Heritage Hill and Nature Park, transforming yarn into living poetry. Beside her, fellow artists like scribble visionary Roimhie Damiano breathe life into Baguio’s spirit of handmade wonder. MAU VICTA
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 57.1760 n JAPAN 0.3918 n UK 74.9406 n HK 7.3521 n CHINA 7.8667 n SINGAPORE 42.8638 n AUSTRALIA 36.1753 n EU 63.1909 n KOREA 0.0394 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.2424 Source: BSP (April 4, 2025)
ROLANDO MAYO | DREAMSTIME.COM
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