The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) met with the Department of Energy (DOE) to recalibrate the supply-demand interplay following the early onset of yellow alerts in the system. NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza explained that the yellow alert on Tuesday was prompted by a sudden temperature spike that increased demand. So-called deration and unplanned outages denied the system 3,362.3 MW of capacity suddenly unavailable. The alert was raised from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. but subsequently lifted at 7:49 p.m.
A yellow alert indicates low power reserves, while a red alert signifies imminent power shortages and potential outages. Despite the situation, the NGCP gave assurance that the energy sector is effectively managing the challenges in power transmission.
The NGCP also acknowledged that demand peaked on 6 March 2025 at 12,467 MW that surpassed even the DOE forecast of 11,870 MW. This year, peak demand in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao is expected to rise, putting greater strain on the system.
While the NGCP has complied with recent DOE directives to procure ancillary services, the company stressed the need for more non-intermittent baseload power sources, such as coal, natural gas, and geothermal, to ensure a stable power supply in the future.
