THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate the possible sabotage of a huge transmission line in Batangas province.
In a letter to PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and Batangas City Police head Lt. Col. Lira Morello, the NGCP pointed to the Ilijan-Tayabas 500-kiloVolt (kV) transmission line that tripped on May 13, 2026.
The NGCP said the incident occurred after the conductor between Towers 129 and 130 in Barangay Haligue Silangan, also in the city, was severed.
The transmission disturbance resulted in the loss of around 1,700 MW of power delivered from generating plants connected to the line.
Initial findings following inspections conducted by NGCP personnel showed severance reportedly occurred within the conductor span between spacers and exhibited characteristics that suggested deliberate human intervention.
To ensure a thorough and impartial investigation, the NCGP said it was seeking the help of the PNP.
It then assured authorities of its full cooperation and committed to provide all relevant technical findings and information needed for the investigation.
“Protecting the integrity and security of the country’s transmission network remains critical to maintaining reliable power delivery nationwide,” NGCP said.
The privately owned corporation, which is in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s state-owned power grid, lamented that the incident has affected the already thin generation reserves in Luzon and Visayas, which eventually led to the declaration of red and yellow alerts in both grids.
The NGCP, in a statement emailed to The Manila Times, noted that the damage appeared to be inconsistent with normal wear-and-tear or natural causes.
It added that prior inspections on the line also showed no defect or abnormality that could have caused such damage.
As the country continues to experience tight power supply conditions during periods of high demand, the NGCP cited the importance of safeguarding critical transmission infrastructure.
