THE Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday ordered power generation companies to immediately restore plant capacities while the Luzon and Visayas grids remained under yellow and red alerts due to forced outages, plant derations, and elevated electricity demand.
A yellow alert means power reserves are low but demand is still met, while red indicates insufficient supply, leading to scheduled rotating brownouts to prevent total grid failure.
“The DOE’s top priority is to protect consumers and maintain grid stability. We have directed all concerned generation companies to expedite the restoration of affected units at the soonest possible time,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said.
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) earlier placed the Visayas grid under yellow alert from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. and from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m., while a red alert was declared from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Available capacity in the Visayas grid stood at 2,413 megawatts (MW), below the projected peak demand of 2,541 MW.
Meanwhile, the Luzon grid was placed under yellow alert from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. and from 10:00 to 11:00 p.m., while red alert status was raised from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m.
The Luzon grid had an available capacity of 12,479 MW against projected peak demand of 12,595 MW.
The DOE said it is closely monitoring the restoration timeline of all affected plants and has instructed generation companies to provide immediate updates on the operational status of their facilities.
It has also ordered Energy Efficiency and Conservation professionals in government entities to intensify electricity-saving measures across public offices, buildings, and facilities effective immediately.
Government agencies were directed to reduce non-essential electricity consumption, optimize building systems, and comply with energy efficiency standards, particularly during peak demand hours.
Garin said the public sector has the capacity to make an immediate contribution to grid stability through disciplined power conservation efforts.
The DOE also encouraged households and businesses to adopt energy-saving practices, including setting air-conditioning units at 24 to 25 degrees Celsius, shifting the use of heavy appliances outside peak hours, and switching off unused lights and equipment.
Commercial establishments and building operators were likewise urged to adjust centralized cooling systems within the recommended temperature range and stagger the use of high-load equipment during peak periods.
The DOE also called on distribution utilities to activate their Interruptible Load Program to help stabilize electricity supply.
The agency continues to coordinate with the NGCP, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, distribution utilities, and generation companies to monitor grid conditions and implement supply- and demand-side measures.
