The Department of Energy on Thursday assured the public of sufficient power supply during and after the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.
The National Electrification Administration, along with 121 electric cooperatives across the country, also activated a 24-hour power situation monitoring system to help ensure the smooth conduct of the BSKE.
The Energy Department said measures are also in place to prevent any unscheduled power outages that may disrupt the voting as well as the counting process.
“Safeguarding the energy needs of the country during the critical electoral process is our foremost concern and we have enlisted the full cooperation of all our stakeholders in the generation, transmission, and distribution sectors in this endeavor,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said.
“Preparations have been undertaken to ensure that there would be enough power in days leading up to, during, and in the immediate conduct of the elections,” he added.
While there are two potential yellow alerts in Luzon this week and the week of the elections, the DOE Energy Task Force Election shall coordinate with the generating companies and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to ensure the availability of generating units to meet the demand and required reserves.
The DOE said the suspension of preventive maintenance and testing of generating units one week before and after the elections shall also be strictly enforced.
DOE said the demand forecast in Luzon next week is seen at 12,257 MW. Current demand is only 10,500 MW to 11,500 MW.
This means Luzon will have a buffer of at least 700 MW, the Energy department said.
The DOE Energy Task Force Election likewise instructed distribution utilities to deploy special and emergency line crews to check lines for any obstructions and to ensure that all necessary and correct connections are installed within their franchise areas.
“As early as now, all DUs must trim trees and remove hazards that can obstruct power lines. They also must secure enough generator sets and flashlights on standby in case of unexpected power interruption,” Lotilla said.
For his part, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian warned that any power interruption during election day could raise concerns about peace and order and potentially lead to fraud or cheating that could jeopardize the integrity of the election process.
“We don’t want power outages in election hotspots which can cause untoward incidents,” he said.
“A stable power supply is a crucial component in maintaining peace and order and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process in more than 42,000 barangays in the country,” Gatchalian added.