In his opinion piece for the Inquirer aptly named “A power sector alphabet soup,” Jake Maderazo sheds light on two key power sector metrics that are crucial to assessing the quality of electricity services. These are SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) and SAIFI (System Average Interruption Frequency Index).
In this article, learn more about these two power metrics and why Philippine senators discussed them during a plenary session concerning Senate Bill No. 2888, which seeks an area expansion of the Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light) the franchise to cover the rest of Davao del Norte and Maco, Davao de Oro.
(Also read: Senate Approves Davao Light’s Franchise Expansion)
SAIDI and SAIFI 101
The System Average Interruption Duration Index or SAIDI measures the total duration of power outages in a specific area over a given period (usually a year).
SAIDI is calculated by taking the total number of minutes customers were without service during the year and dividing it by the total number of customers served that year.
It tells you, on average, how long customers were without power. A higher SAIDI means longer outages on average.
Meanwhile, the System Average Interruption Frequency Index or SAIFI measures how often customers experience power outages over a certain period.
SAIFI is calculated by dividing the total number of times customers experienced service interruptions by the total number of customers.
It tells you, on average, how many times a customer lost power. A lower SAIFI means fewer interruptions and better electricity reliability.
These two metrics reflect the duration of power outages (SAIDI) and frequency of service interruptions (SAIFI).
(Also read: Siargao Blackout: A Costly Disruption)
Comparing numbers
As senators deliberated on the bill expanding the franchise of Davao Light into areas covered by the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (NORDECO), Senator Miguel Zubiri presented data from the Department of Energy (DOE) comparing their services.
For SAIDI or duration of power outages: Davao Light’s blackouts were 209 minutes in a year, while Nordeco’s was 242 minutes in a month.
For SAIFI or frequency of power outages: Davao Light has an average of 3.1 blackouts a year, while Nordeco has 4.9 blackouts a month.
Despite these figures—which Nordeco has since claimed were “inaccurate and misleading”—it has earned an AA rating from the National Electrification Administration.
“NORDECO, 242 minutes [average length of power outages] per month, and that is a Double A. Imagine [our kababayans] being serviced by an electric coop [that’s Category] B, C, and D,” Senator Aquilino Pimentel said.
Senator Zubiri also said that Nordeco’s prices remain three to four pesos more expensive than those of Davao Light.
(Also read: Samal Island fights power woes with energy projects)
Metrics equal accountability
Electricity consumers should know these numbers to better understand how reliable electricity service is in their area—and hold utility companies accountable for improving service if needed.
“Your home, your workplace, and your third place would almost always require reliable and consistently accessible electricity to fully function,” said Maderazo.
“On the other level is whether or not your distribution utility is taking the necessary steps to ensure that you would have reliable and consistently accessible electricity in the future,” Maderazo added.
“One way to look at that is to check whether or not the service provider is putting their money where their mouth is, and if that actually translates into better SAIDI, SAIFI, and power costs over time,” Maderazo continued.
Sources:
https://opinion.inquirer.net/181574/a-power-sector-alphabet-soup
https://mindanaotimes.com.ph/from-the-mail-davao-consumer-movement-on-senate-bill-no-2888/
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CBuZpHvYM/
