Ayon sa NGCP, ang ancillary services ay sumusuporta sa transmission ng koryente mula sa generators patungong consumers para mapanatili ang maaasahang operasyon at kailangan upang mapamahalaan ang power fluctuations.
Ang pagbasura ng ERC sa month to month extensions sa ancillary services agreements ay kasunod ng pagtanggap at pagbubukas nito ng bids para sa ancillary services para sa Luzon noong March 14, Visayas noong March 15, at Mindanao noong March 16.
Sinabi ng NGCP na umaasa itong pormal na maigagawad ang kontrata sa winning bidders sa April 18, 2023, subalit ang provisional approval mula sa ERC sa Ancillary Service Procurement Agreements (ASPAs) ay maaaring hindi dumating ng mas maaga sa Hunyo.
“Many of NGCP’s AS agreements have expired. We have resorted to month to month extensions of our existing agreements to ensure the sufficiency of services while the procurement process is ongoing,” sabi ng NGCP.
“With ERC’s denial of this interim agreement, our hands are tied. The Philippine Transmission Grid shall be vulnerable to power interruptions resulting from an artificial lack of AS,” dagdag pa nito.
Nagbabala ang NGCP na ang fluctuations ay maaaring magdulot ng pinsala sa sensitive equipment, automatic load dropping (ALD), o hindi inaasahang power interruptions.
Sinabi ng NGCP na umapela na ito sa Department of Energy (DOE) para mamagitan sa isyu para maiwasan ang brownouts.
“We have always conducted the procurement of AS with good faith, with the best services for the least cost as a primary motivating factor. We have done much to improve the procurement process, but above all else, we must be able to provide these services,” ayon sa NGCP.
“With this disappointing development, this leaves us with no other option. If we sign interim extensions, we expect the ERC to issue us yet another show cause order. If we do not, we will be unnecessarily subjecting consumers connected to the grid to avoidable and damaging fluctuations or worse, interruptions,” dagdag pa nito.
Nauna nang sinabi ng NGCP na numinipis na ang reserves habang tumataas ang demand tuwing tag-init.
