Eight-hour brownout hits Zamsureco-1 member-consumers

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, May 7 (PNA) – The member-consumers of the Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative-1 (Zamsureco-1) have to contend with an eight-hour daily brownout besetting the cooperative brought about by the decreasing supply from the Mindanao Grid.

Zamsureco-1 Information Officer Liberal Cabatcha said Wednesday this is because of the shortage of power generation from Agus 1 of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) and that of the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) servicing the cooperative.

Cabatcha said the Zamsureco-1 has a power deficit of 9 megawatts (MW) since the cooperative is only getting from its sources a total of 25 MW.

Zamsureco-1, which serves 69,857 consumers in this city and in 24 of the 26 towns of this province, has a peak-load demand of 34 MW.

Cabatcha said that 15 MW of the 34 MW is provided by Napocor while the Therma Marine, Incorporated (TMI) provides 5 MW and Mapalad Power Corporation (Mapalad) also provides 5 MW.

He said the Napocor can only provide 15 MW of its contracted power of 25 MW to Zamsureco-1 due to the decreasing water level in Lake Lanao.

“We are urging the public to understand the present power situation besetting Zamsureco-1,” he said.

The eight-hour daily brownout is being implemented in two frequencies at four hours each. (PNA)
FPV/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION/UTB