ZAMBOANGA CITY – Residents of the city
should brace for longer brownouts next month according to Zamboanga City
Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO).
In a
presentation made during the first quarter meeting of ConsumerNET-9 last week,
it showed that Mindanao grid will experience the biggest shortfall next month
against the average consumer demand.
“Unless
ZAMCELCO’s power supply is augmented, a longer power interruption will be
experienced in the city,” said the presentation.
The power
woes in the city have worsened particularly this month with an average brownout
of 6-8 hours per day, affecting all sectors. The business sector, for one, is
asking the local government to help ZAMCELCO look for other power supplier to
at least lessen the power interruption in the city.
The
Zamboanga City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCCII), thru its President
Mr. Cholo Soliven, also asked President Noynoy Aquino to declare a “state of
emergency” in Mindanao with the worsening power crisis.
Zamboanga
City has experienced the worst power interruption in 2010 and early part of
2011 where brownouts reached an average of eight to 10 hours per day. In
ZAMCELCO’s presentation, this may happen again next month if no alternative
power source is found.
ZAMCELCO,
however, assured that the current power situation will be stable by 2015 when
more power plants, now under construction, become operational.