CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 22 July) – In Mindanao whose power needs are significantly supplied by hydroelectric power, around 25% in 2022, any changes in the water level at Lake Lanao will have dire impacts on the power supply of the island.
With the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market operating in Mindanao, the aging Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric power plants are operating at full capacity, as it is priority dispatch in the energy spot market system and naturally cheaper compared to coal and diesel-fired power plants.
With the onset of El Nino and its impact on Mindanao soon, the dependable generation capacities of our hydroelectric power plants will soon decrease. This will have dire impacts on Mindanao power consumers as coal-fired and diesel-fired power plants fill in the supply gap.
The entry of solar power to the Mindanao Grid would stabilize power prices and supply. Less dependence on dirty and expensive coal and diesel, which now supplies 50% and 18%, respectively, to the Mindanao Grid would be good for the planet and pockets of power consumers.
As a far-reaching solution to the problem of maintaining the 701 meters above sea level rule curve elevation, the use of solar power will enable Lake Lanao to recharge and maintain its water level within the rule curve. The rule curve elevation is the level the lake must maintain to enable the hydroelectric power dam to generate sufficient electricity and protect the integrity of the lake.
Modern biomass and wind power plants are also needed, but solar is the fastest to install, hence it could address short-term needs.
New renewable energy, particularly solar power capacities, will indubitably provide dependable, clean, and more affordable power in Mindanao. It will also make the island more resilient to El Niño.
(The writer is one of the authors of the Mindanao Renewable Ecosystem Report published in 2022. He is one of the pioneers of the country’s anti-coal power movement and now a consultant of the Mindanao Renewable Energy Acceleration and Coordination Hub (MinReach). Comments can be sent to bency.ellorin@gmail.com.)
