Hazardous Taal eruption could affect power generation – First Gen

While power plants of First Gen Corp. have continued to operate despite the eruption of Taal Volcano, the company warned that a hazardous eruption could be detrimental to its capacity to deliver power.

"For the public's information, our power plants in Batangas have continued to operate despite the eruption of Taal Volcano," the company said in an emailed statement.

However, should a hazardous eruption occur, First Gen warned that this could potentially damage the company's facilities.

"Under such conditions, our gas turbines can potentially suffer damage from the continuous ashfall, which in turn could affect our ability to deliver power," the company said.

"Any possible decision to curtail our Batangas power plant operations will be based on safety and good utility practice considerations," it added.

Moving forward, First Gen said the company was closely working with regulators and would be in close coordination with the government.

"We are coordinating closely with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and Manila Electric Company, and we will work with the Department of Energy, should any curtailment be warranted," it said.

First Gen Corp., through its subsidiaries, operated several plants in Batangas City such as the Santa Rita Combined-Cycle Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant, the Avion Open-Cycle Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant, and the San Gabriel Combined-Cycle Natural Gas-Fired Power plant, all located in the First Gen Clean Energy Complex.

Power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on Monday said power has been restored in portions of Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao, and Calamba in Laguna.

Meanwhile, the following areas were being affected by the unrest at Taal:

• portions of Bacoor, Silang, Amadeo, Indang, Naic, Trece Martirez City, Alfonso, Cavite City, Dasmarinas City of Cavite;
• portions of Cabuyao and Calamba, Laguna; and
• portions of Talisay, Batangas.

Alert Level 4, signifying a hazardous eruption was "imminent," had been raised since the phreatic eruption of Taal Volcano over the weekend.

According to the latest reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, a volcanic ashfall was affecting various areas in Metro Manila. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News