Power retailer Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) asked large power consumers to enroll in the government’s Interruptible Load Program (ILP) to help ensure the availability of sufficient electricity supply in the upcoming dry season.
The ILP is an energy demand-side management program through which large-load customers are asked to use their generator sets or shift their operations, instead of drawing power from the grid, to spare households from power interruptions during instances of red alert or when supply is insufficient to meet the demand.
Meralco said there are now 103 companies with 528 MW de-loading capacity across its franchise area that are enrolled in the ILP.
The ILP has spared as many as 1.8 million households from power interruptions in the Meralco franchise area since it was first implemented in 2014.
“We are banking on the support of large load consumers within the Meralco franchise area to embody the spirit of bayanihan and join the ILP. As we have experienced in the past, the program has been beneficial in ensuring continuity of service even when supply is tight,” Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said.
Meralco also advised its customers to embrace energy efficiency as a way of life to better manage electricity consumption.
Some power saving tips customers can practice are unplugging appliances when not in use, refraining from overfilling refrigerators, regular cleaning of air conditioner filters and using LED bulbs for cost-saving lighting, it said.
Meralco said customers could also have better control of their monthly electricity bills with the help of the Meralco Mobile App Appliance Calculator that provides information on the energy consumption of appliances and gadgets.