Manila Electric Co., the biggest electricity retailer, expects energy sales volume to grow 2.5 percent in the first half this year from a year ago.
Meralco president Oscar Reyes told reporters Thursday at the sidelines of an event sales in the first two months increased around two percent.
“Sales for January February, we’re about 2 percent higher than the first two months last year. We recovered from… negative 0.6 percent from January year ago but February was was about 2.5 percent [higher]. So combined January-February… [is] slightly below 2 percent,” Reyes said.
He said January sales declined because of the Christmas holidays and Pope Francis’ visit but sales [in February] recovered due to the sligthly warmer temperature.
“People are feeling warmer temperature [in March],” Reyes said.
Meralco reported energy sales of 7,908 gigawatthours in the first quarter of 2014. Sales in 2014 rose 3.2 percent to 35,160 gWh from 34,084 gWh in 2013.
Reyes, meanwhile, said Meralco was monitoring the power supply and demand outlook during the 30-day shutdown of the Malampaya natural gas field, which started March 15. Reyes said several power plants were expected to resume operation to help address the demand.
“With the comfort that Botocan is there, Millenium should also come in and they started their engines last week. We hope Millenium will be available within the month,” he said.
Reyes said the company was also open to talks with Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. for an additional 400-megawatt capacity from the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan pump storage power plant in Laguna province.
“We are prepared to contract that. We are waiting to formally meet up with them [PSALM]. There has been a desire,” he said.
He said demand usually peaks in May, which consumers should watch out for.
“Summer normally peaks in May. Last year, it was I think May 17,” he said.
Reyes said the interruptible load program, which Meralco recently tested in two dry runs, would help address the demand gap once the participants deloaded.
“Everyone’s cooperating. We are very pleased with the response of commercial establishments and industrial companies willing to join the ILP program. When something happens, we can bring these in,” he said.
Meralco has signed ILP participants with a combined capacity of 755 megawatts. During the two dry runs in which some 600 to 650 MW of capacity were signed up, about 60 to 67 percent were deloaded, sparing up to 1.6 million from possible rotating brownouts.