MANILA — There may be more rotational brownouts this year as a looming strong El Niño threatens to further strain the country’s power supply, prompting energy officials to brace for additional yellow and red alerts.
The Department of Energy (DOE) said power alerts could persist in the coming months as rising temperatures push electricity demand higher.
A yellow alert indicates that available power reserves are thinning, meaning any unexpected plant outage could trigger service interruptions. A red alert, on the other hand, means supply is insufficient to meet demand, increasing the likelihood of rotational brownouts unless consumption is managed.
Supply projections
The Visayas grid, which remains heavily dependent on imported power from Luzon and Mindanao, is projected to experience seven yellow alerts during afternoon peak hours. In the evenings, the situation could worsen, with six red alerts and seven yellow alerts forecast, raising the risk of brownouts across the region.
While Mindanao is not expected to experience red alerts, officials said the grid could still face six yellow alerts between September and November.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) earlier warned of a 92-percent probability of a moderate to strong El Niño developing in the fourth quarter of the year.
El Niño refers to the abnormal warming of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures, a weather phenomenon often linked to extreme climate conditions such as drought, erratic rainfall and stronger heat waves.
Energy officials said that power generation and distribution companies are coordinating closely to minimize the impact of the dry spell on the country’s electricity supply.
Last week, both the Luzon and Visayas grids were placed under several yellow and red alerts due to power plant maintenance shutdowns, transmission line trippings and surging summer demand.
Higher rates seen
The recurring power alerts may also drive up electricity rates, although officials have yet to provide estimates on the possible increase.
As the Visayas continues to rely on imported electricity, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the government is pursuing long-term projects to strengthen the grid, including new power plants in Toledo, Cebu, and Panay, Iloilo.
Garin added that the DOE plans to conduct more green energy auctions focused on the Visayas and Mindanao, while renewable energy facilities such as solar plants would be paired with battery energy storage systems to improve grid stability. (Lisbet K. Esmael © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
