Luzon, Visayas grids on red alert

POWER CONSUMERS in Luzon and the Visayas experienced interruptions on Wednesday after red and yellow alerts were raised across the grids following the loss of more than 5,500 megawatts (MW) of power capacity.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Luzon and Visayas grids under red alert from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to separate advisories.

Yellow alerts were also raised over the Luzon grid from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., while the Visayas grid was under yellow alert from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A red alert is issued when available power supply becomes insufficient to meet consumer demand and reserve requirements, while a yellow alert is declared when operating reserves fall below the required contingency level.

NGCP said 4,681.6 MW of capacity was unavailable in the Luzon grid during the period, leaving available capacity at 12,447 MW against peak demand of 12,537 MW.

The Visayas grid, which imports power from Luzon, had an available capacity of 2,510 MW, only slightly above peak demand of 2,413 MW.

The grid operator said 21 power plants were offline, while 15 others were operating at derated capacities, resulting in a combined loss of 862.3 MW in the Visayas.

The Visayas alerts were also linked to the forced interruptions of coal-fired units operated by Therma Visayas, Inc. (TVI) and Panay Energy Development Corp.

Gerry C. Arances, convener of Power for People Coalition, said the grid alerts showed the risks of continued dependence on coal plants.

“If TVI and other coal plants cannot be trusted to deliver their current capacity now, their capacity to provide reliable power in the future should be put in question,” he said in a statement.

The consumer group also called on government agencies, regulators and energy companies to disclose the causes of the recurring grid alerts and outline long-term measures to address energy insecurity.

“Consumers deserve accountability, not repeated excuses every summer season,” Mr. Arances said.

In a separate statement, the coalition said the looming threat of rotating brownouts amid red and yellow alerts in the Luzon grid is yet another burden being placed on ordinary Filipino consumers who are already enduring soaring electricity rates, extreme heat, and a worsening cost of living crisis.

It said 72% of the power lost from the Luzon grid were from coal and gas, while most power plants that were on forced interruptions were fossil fuel plants, notably Ilihan gas plant units at 600 megawatts each.

“Power interruptions are not mere inconveniences,” the group said. “They disrupt livelihoods, endanger vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, children and persons with illnesses, affect students and workers and threaten the operations of hospitals, transportation and essential services.”

The Center for Energy, Ecology and Development separately said local communities and environmental groups have urged financial institutions to review support for the expansion of the TVI coal plant amid persistent supply issues and elevated coal prices.

Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin ordered NGCP to immediately address transmission constraints that limited the dispatch of electricity from large power plants.

The Department of Energy said the 500-kilovolt Tayabas-Ilijan and Dasmariñas-Ilijan transmission lines tripped, disconnecting several generating units from the grid.

The agency asked NGCP to provide details on the transmission failures and related incidents.

The supply shortfall prompted Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to implement rotating brownouts lasting up to three hours in parts of Metro Manila, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

More than 200,000 customers were affected.

Meralco said it had also activated its Interruptible Load Program, under which large commercial and industrial customers voluntarily shift to generator sets to reduce grid demand.

As of 3:40 p.m., the utility said it had secured more than 240 MW of de-loading capacity under the program.

NGCP also warned that manual load dropping could be implemented in Abra and parts of Ilocos Sur, Bataan, Pampanga, Batangas, Metro Manila, Albay, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur to preserve grid stability.

The Luzon grid last experienced a red alert on June 1, 2024, while the country recorded nine yellow alerts last year. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera