Residents of Caramoan town in Camarines Sur enjoyed uninterrupted power supply during Severe Tropical Storm Kristine’s onslaught due to its microgrid system.
Lopez-led FP Island Energy Corp. (FP Island) said Tuesday that while Haponan island on the north coast of Caramoan was one of the areas in Bicol first hit by Kristine, electricity remained available for its 600 residents despite the non-stop rain and wind gusts.
Haponan Island’s electricity comes from a microgrid—a small yet self-sufficient energy system that FP Island established in December 2021.
It consists of a renewable energy component (solar energy with battery) and a conventional power source (a diesel generator set).
Microgrid systems are able to respond to the country’s electrification needs by providing services in remote areas of the country not connected to the main grid and not easily accessible by large power distribution utilities.
FP Island operates two other microgrids in the nearby islands of Lahuy and Quinalasag with about 2,400 residents combined.
These microgrids were preemptively shut down before Kristine made landfall, normal operations resumed in 11 of the 13 barangays 48 hours after the storm passed and the winds died down.
“Despite the strength of the typhoon, the generators and distribution lines sustained minimal damage from the winds and fallen trees,” said Larry Evangelista, FP Island general manager.
Residents either did not have electricity or relied on diesel-fired generators that ran only for a few hours each day prior to the operation of the FP Island microgrids.
Haponan, Lahuy and Quinalasag residents have enjoyed 24/7 electricity since the microgrid installation in late 2021.
This enabled significant community livelihood activities, which otherwise would have been impossible without electricity such as ice-making, internet access, doing business online, printing services, multimedia learning for teachers and students, and mobile phone charging.
FP Island’s microgrids support the nationwide electrification goal of the government as provided under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act in 2001 or Epira allowing a private corporation like FP Island to be a qualified third party (QTP) to provide electricity services in remote areas of the country.
FP Island is a sister company of First Gen Corp., the country’s leading provider of clean and renewable energy.
First Gen and FP Island offer regenerative solutions to customers that share a common commitment to protect the environment.
