|
This article has been assessed not ready for publication.Please see the review comments on the collaboration page. When these things have been done, and the article is ready to be reviewed and fact-checked, Submit for review?Template:Assistant:Submit/formSubmit for review by changing the |
| This article has been assessed not ready for publication.
Please see the review comments on the collaboration page. When these things have been done, and the article is ready to be reviewed and fact-checked, Submit for review?Template:Assistant:Submit/formSubmit for review by changing the |
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
The next Philippine general election that are scheduled to occur in May 2022 is projected to face thin power reserves, according to Felix William Fuentebella, an undersecretary for the country’s Department of Energy. The projection was announced during a virtual conference yesterday. The main power supply however, is expected to remain normal, and is projected to be above the yellow alert level. This means the elections will not be disrupted by a power interruption.
One reason for the thinning of the power reserves, according to the DOE undersecretary and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, is due to higher demand. The month of May is in the middle of hot season in the Philippines, leading to longer use of electric appliances such as fans and air conditioners. The lack of water for hydro power plants is also another reason cited by the DOE. Hydro power leads the renewable energy usage in Luzon and Mindanao, and ranks second overall, behind geothermal.
The DOE clarified that there are no political agendas behind the thinning of the power reserves, and that there will be no rotational interruptions in the power supply during the election period. Alfonso Cusi, leading secretary of the energy department, signed a circular in 2018 establishing an energy task force ensuring an adequate and reliable power supply before, during, and after elections.
Meanwhile, Joe Zaldiarraga, a spokesperson for the power distributor Manila Electric Company, said that the company has contingency plans and backup generators set for its franchise areas. On the producer side of things, the Philippine Independent Power Producers Association assured that it will maintain the power supply at sufficient levels in 2022 at the best of their ability.
