CENTRAL Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) general manager Sulpicio Lagarde urged consumers to conserve electricity as three power plants in the Visayas grid are under emergency shutdown.
“Although the maintenance shutdown has a minimal impact on Ceneco, we have to conserve power especially during night time when there is no solar power,” Lagarde said.
The Energy Development Corp.’s geothermal power plant in Tongonan, Leyte went on emergency shutdown on May 11 while Panay Electric Development Corp., on May 10. Palm Concepcion Power Corp. in Iloilo also shut down its power plant last week.
Lagarde said although it’s only with Palm Concepcion that Ceneco has a power contract, the shutdown of the three plants still affects the entire Visayas grid and may increase the prices of power in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
Energreen Corp. in Bago City that supplies peak load to Ceneco helps in cushioning the impact of the shutdown, he added.
Lagarde said he cannot tell yet if the shutdown will cause an increase in electricity rates.
This May, there is a minimal decrease in electricity rates due to the decrease in foreign exchange rate and the price of petroleum products, he added.
“We should always unplug unused appliances to conserve power,” Lagarde said.
