CEBU CITY – Cebu, in the past week has experienced intermittent power outages prompting a “Yellow Alert” status on August 1 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM issued by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)-Visayas Grid Alert Status, reporting an available capacity of 2,569MW with peak demand of 2,449MW however, the yellow alert was lifted at 8:35PM on the same day.
The Visayas Grid Alert Status said that 10 power plants have been on forced outage from April to July, and six other power plants out since 2024, while four are running on de-rated capacities, for a total of 423MW unavailable to the grid.
It said that factors that contributed to the
raising of yellow alert include a significant number of plants on
unplanned/forced outages and de-rated capacities and high system demand. It also reported that the Luzon grid is under
normal condition.
NGCP said that a yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement. In a Media Power 101 briefing on July 31 in Cebu, Engr. Michael Baylosis, NGCP- Visayas Transmission Planning manager said the overloading of the existing 138kV transmission lines supplying power from Cebu to Mactan Island is a critical issue affecting Cebu’s power reliability.
The forecasted increasing power demand and load
growth in Cebu highlighted the critical need to strengthen and maintain the Visayas
Grid’s capacity to transmit power supply to Cebu and to any part of country, Baylosis
mentioned the interconnected design grids and the use of transmission lines to
sustain power supply and the importance of power plants and interconnections to
meet the demand.
“Power alerts are largely caused by unplanned or emergency shutdowns of power plants rather than scheduled interruptions. The Philippines' power supply is managed by the Department of Energy (DOE) with a projected demand of over 19,200 megawatts by 2024. NGCP's role is in transmission, not generation, and the figures quoted do not include contributions from other entities,” Atty. Cynthia Perez-Alabanza, NGCP AVP and Public Relations Department head explained.
Alabanza underscored the importance of maintaining and upgrading transmission lines to meet the growing demand for electricity. She likened the electricity distribution system in the Philippines to highway where power plants pay a toll to the NGCP to bring electricity to the market.
“Transmission lines do not need to be replaced due to age but are upgraded to handle increased loads or new power plants. The lifespan of transmission lines is not primarily determined by age but by the need for upgrades,” Alabanza said.
Alabanza noted the persistent threat of pilferage of tower components and transmission lines in many areas which she warned could pose serious safety risks and can compromise power infrastructure specifically during disasters. She however, said that pilferage incidents in Cebu are less because NGCP has installed visible safety signs and increased community awareness.
To address Cebu’s increasing power demand, NGCP has expanded several substations across Cebu to mention Calong Calong, Toledo City, Umapad, Samboan, Daanbantayan, Compostela and Pusok Substations.
Another project is the Cebu-Lapu-Lapu 230kV Transmission Line Project that is currently at 68 percent complete, while the Lapu-Lapu 230kV Substation Project has reached 69 percent completion and both projects are expected to be completed by December 2026, and the 3rd is the Bohol-Siquijor-Ubay Project (BSUP).
“These projects are under various phases of construction,
and they aim to secure Cebu’s energy infrastructure, improve power reliability
and delivery and enhance system stability throughout the province,” Baylosis
added. (Photos: MBCNewman)
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