The Angat Hydro-Electric Power Plant (AHEPP), the power component of Angat Dam in Bulacan province, will be shut down for a two-month repair, its operator said Monday.
Angat Hydropower Corp. advised consumers to take the necessary steps to conserve water during the shutdown of the 218-megawatt power plant which consists of four 50-MW turbine-generator units and several auxiliary units.
AHPP is the power component of the Angat Dam located within the Angat Watershed Forest Reserve in Barangay San Lorenzo (Hilltop), Norzagaray, Bulacan about 58 kilometers northeast of Manila. The dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and is the source of irrigation for 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.
State-run Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), however, assured the public there would be continuous supply of raw water in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal provinces throughout the plant shutdown.
AHC announced a major repair and rehabilitation of the plant’s penstock in conjunction with the modernization of the power plant. It said the rehabilitation aimed to prolong the lifespan of the plant to ensure a stable water supply for domestic use and irrigation.
AHC said it would implement a total plant shutdown (TPS) of AHEPP for 61-days from Nov. 6, 2023 to Jan. 6, 2024.
The MWSS said it coordinated with concessionaires Manila Water Company Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. to create a set of comprehensive guidelines on the operation of the Angat Dam spillway and low-level outlet.
Members of the Interagency Technical Working Group on Angat Dam Operations and Management including the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), National Power Corp. (NPC), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), MWSS, Maynilad, Manila Water and AHC agreed on the implementation of the guidelines.
Maynilad and Manila Water agreed to work with the MWSS to ensure steady supply of water for domestic use and for irrigation during the shutdown.
The MWSS noted that the water level of Angat Reservoir was at 209.48 meters as of Sunday, near its normal high-water level (NHWL) of 210-meters.
The Department of Energy (DOE) said the scheduled repair and rehabilitation of AHEPP would not affect the power supply to the Luzon grid.
“Relative to our preparation for El Niño, hydropower plants are expected to run at reduced capacity. Thus, repair of AHEPP would not have an impact to the grid,” said DOE assistant secretary Mario Marasigan.
He said the DOE continuously monitors the power supply and has a weekly outlook to ensure stability and reliability of the grid system.