Senate President Pro Tempore Win Gatchalian filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the alarming frequency of red and yellow alerts issued by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), which triggered power interruptions across Luzon and the Visayas.
“Projections that the El Niño weather phenomenon may strengthen in the last 4 months of the year, up to January next year, could exacerbate the power-supply gap in the country,” Gatchalian said, as he filed Proposed Senate Resolution 425.
“From May 12 to May 31 alone, the NGCP placed the Visayas grid under red alert for approximately 22 interval hours and yellow alert for about 93 interval hours.”
The veteran legislator noted that from May 12 to May 31 alone, the NGCP placed the Visayas grid under red alert for approximately 22 interval hours and yellow alert for about 93 interval hours.
Over the same period, the Luzon grid was under red alert for around 27 interval hours and yellow alert for approximately 5.5 interval hours.
According to the seasoned lawmaker, the focus of the inquiry includes determining the country’s true power supply situation, ensuring grid reliability, holding erring stakeholders accountable, ensuring generation companies meet the highest industry standards, crafting effective government interventions, and strictly enforcing energy laws including demand-side management under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act.
