THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Friday announced the adoption of new rules on power plant reliability and reporting, shifting the focus toward preventing avoidable outages rather than merely responding to them after they occur.
“Reliable power plants are essential to reliable electricity service. These revised rules encourage generation companies to strengthen preventive maintenance, improve operational performance and minimize unplanned outages that [lead] to supply shortages and higher electricity costs. Ultimately, this means a more dependable power system that better serves Filipino consumers,” ERC Chairman and CEO Francis Saturnino Juan said.
The revised rules on “Reliability Performance Indices and Equivalent Unplanned Outage Days Per Year for Generating Units” seek to update reliability standards for power plants, strengthen outage monitoring and encourage better maintenance planning.
These are based on actual operating and outage data from 2015 to 2024, aligning planned outage schedules with Department of Energy policies, and clarifying reporting and documentation requirements for planned and unplanned outages.
They also establish technology-specific, allowable equivalent unplanned outage days, require generation companies to submit planned maintenance schedules and post-maintenance completion reports, and strengthen accountability through compliance plans and administrative sanctions for persistent noncompliance.
The measures will help regulators, system operators, investors and electricity consumers closely monitor power plant performance and support informed planning for future electricity needs.
