The scorching heat in Iloilo City has led to a significant increase in electricity demand, reaching a 13% surge.
To manage the high demand, MORE Power implemented emergency feeder load balancing measures on Saturday and Sunday.
This proactive step aims to prevent feeder overloading, which could potentially result in extended and widespread unscheduled power outages.
The extreme heat has significantly impacted the city, prompting residents to utilize more electricity for cooling and other purposes.
“May ara kita load balancing nga ginahimo agud ma prevent ang mga indi malikawan nga problema,” says Engr. Christopher Serojano, Deputy Head of Network Development Operations of MORE Power.
Engr. Serojano added that feeder load balance is inevitable in any power system. If there is an increase in single-phase load users, like residential consumers, this has to undergo load balancing to prevent power tripping.
In Iloilo City alone, the residential consumers compose 90% of MORE Power’s overall consumers.
“Kung indi ta siya balansehon, naga cause siya unbalances or ginatawag ta siya nga residual current. Posible makatrip sang aton feeder kung indi ma normalize,” added Engr. Serojano.
This year, MORE Power observed a spike in consumption even before May.
“Nagsaka gid ang atun demand ya tungod man sa kainit. In fact, last year compared to this year, 13% ang pagsaka sa gina consume ta nga kuryente,” according to Engr. Serjoano.
The increase in temperature, even ahead of May, where the heat index tends to get worse as the dry season hits its peak, is considered a primary contributor to the increase in demand for power consumption.