With the continuous resumption of business operations along with the expected recovery of the economy, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) recorded the highest peak load in Luzon for the year, as of date, amounting to around 11,513 MW yesterday, 22 March 2022, at 1414H.
Previously recorded at 11,392 MW last 17 March 2022 at 1429H, the Market Operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) has noted the increasing demand in the grid since the lowering of alert levels and easing of community quarantine restrictions within the major areas in Luzon.
Although the demand has yet to reach the Department of Energy’s (DOE) projected Luzon Annual Peak Demand of 12,387 MW this summer, the 11,513 MW peak demand is already near the 2021 Actual Peak Demand of the region which was at around 11,601 MW. Likewise, the peak demand recorded for the month has already surpassed its counterpart figures during the same month last 2020 which was during the pre-pandemic period.
Meanwhile for Visayas, the same pattern remains to be evident with its highest recorded peak being recorded on the same day, by far, at 2,124 MW – almost within the pre-pandemic levels. Again, this figure is yet to coincide with the DOE’s Visayas Annual Peak Demand Forecast of 2,528MW.
Despite the increasing trend, supply remains to be sufficient to meet the demand system requirements. During the observed highest peak demand yesterday, there was around 12,136 MW supply in the Luzon grid and 2,396 MW in the Visayas grid.
As of 23 March, an adequate amount of supply is available with the average system supply amounting to around 13,962MW; there is an average of 11,719 MW and 2,244 MW available in the Luzon and Visayas grids, respectively.
IEMOP will continue to monitor the interaction of supply and demand in the system especially during this dry season and the upcoming national elections.
