ERC seeks tighter monitoring of power, grid operator performance

ANILA, Philippines - The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is seeking to enhance its monitoring of the reliability and performance of power generators and the grid operator. In a statement, the power sector regulator sought for comments from interested parties on or before June 11. “The ERC urges industry participants to take a very active part in the finalization of the rules to help improve the reliability of the generation sector and the country’s sole transmission system,” said ERC chairperson Zenaida G. Cruz-Ducut. “These subject rules, by enhancing compliance to the Philippine Grid Code (PGC), will ensure a more stable supply of quality electricity to end-users,” Ducut added. Late last month, ERC released its draft rules on the monitoring of power generators and grid operator. For instance, ERC said any “generating plant that is in the state of any form of outage...must submit an outage report to system operator within 24 hours.” The system operator, in turn, is required to submit the Weekly Grid Operating Program Report to the ERC thru the Grid Management Committee (GMC). The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines operates the transmission lines of state-owned National Transmission Corp. “In case of inconsistencies to report submitted, the GMC shall validate the reported data to generating plant/s, grid owner, system operator and to market operator if necessary,” ERC said. The GMC will set up a formula for the computation of reliability performance indices. “The proposed set of rules, drafted by the GMC, aims to determine the reliability performance of the country’s generating units and transmission system through monitoring of the outages of the said facilities and eventually establish a benchmark on reliability standards based on indices indicated in the proposed rules,” ERC said. Section 43 of Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 mandates the ERC to promulgate and enforce the PGC. The GMC is tasked to facilitate the monitoring of compliance with the Grid Code at the operational level. It also needs to ensure that all users of the grid are represented in reviewing and making recommendations pertaining to connection, operation, maintenance and development of the grid. GMC will specify the processes for the settlement of disputes, enforcement and revision of the grid code, ERC said. - By Neil Jerome C. Morales