The Luzon Grid was placed under yellow alert from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, marking the first instance this year as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) warned of strain on the region’s power supply.
The alert was traced to a combination of factors, including a surge in power demand and outages at several power plants. NGCP said the forecast power demand in the afternoon rose from 11,325 megawatts (MW) to 11,829 MW, putting additional pressure on the grid, which has an available capacity of 12,488 MW. Nevertheless, the reserve level remained sufficient to avoid immediate power interruption but prompted the yellow alert status, which serves as an early warning.
In a statement, NGCP highlighted the ongoing challenge posed by the forced outage of eight power plants since February, alongside four others that have been offline since 2024. Additionally, 16 plants are operating at reduced capacity, accounting for a total 3,362 MW of power denied the grid. The identity of the downed plants were not disclosed, adding uncertainty to grid stability.
The yellow alert, however, was confined to Luzon, with the Visayas and Mindanao grids operating normally.
This development raises important questions on the state of energy reliability in the Philippines and underscores the urgent need for energy policy reforms. The continuing forced outages and capacity reductions indicate significant vulnerabilities in the country’s power infrastructure, which could become more pronounced as demand increases, especially during the summer months.
Energy analysts have pointed to the need for greater investment in infrastructure, as well as stronger policy measures to address the growing gaps in power generation capacity. While the Department of Energy (DOE) has yet to comment on the situation, this incident highlights the pressing need for comprehensive energy policies to ensure a more resilient and sustainable energy future for the nation.
