CITY OF MALOLOS — A total of 200 megawatts (MW) of power generation cannot be produced at the Angat Dam Hydro Power Plant as the water elevation of the dam falls below its minimum operating level of 180 meters.

The water elevation at the Angat Dam as of 8:00 am on Thursday (June 6) was at 178.13 meters, based on the data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) of Bulacan.

The water elevation of the dam yesterday was 1.87 meters below its minimum operating level of 180 meters.

Lawrence Nipales, principal engineer of the National Power Corp., briefed PDRRMO officials and selected media personnel, who were invited for a dam visit on Wednesday, that Angat Dam supplies 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs, provides 218 MW of hydropower, and supplies irrigation to more than 20,000 hectares of farmland in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga.

He pointed out that if the water elevation of the dam falls below the 180-meter level, its water supply is automatically reserved for the water needs of Metro Manila residents.

Under the 180-meter elevation, the dam ceases to provide the Luzon Grid with 200 MW of power generation since its four main generators lose the capability to produce hydropower due to insufficient water availability.

Nipales said this will only leave three auxiliary generators to run, with each producing six MW of power for a total of 18 MW.

At the 180-meter level, water allocation for the irrigation supply to Bulacan and parts of Pampanga farmland is automatically stopped, Nipales added.

File photo: Mon Lazaro