ILOILO — With electricity demand expected to spike sharply during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Department of Energy (DOE)–Visayas has issued a warning that the Panay power grid is under growing strain. It urged households and businesses to immediately step up energy conservation to avoid supply disruptions.
The alert comes amid recurring yellow alerts in the Visayas Grid and mounting pressure on power infrastructure driven by rapid economic growth, urbanization, and tourism, particularly in Iloilo and neighboring areas.
Lourdes Arciaga, chief science research specialist of the DOE–Visayas Field Office, said the situation calls for proactive public action as electricity consumption traditionally peaks in December.
“The rapid economic growth in areas like Iloilo is adding unprecedented pressure on our power supply, and we have to be proactive,” Arciaga warned.
She explained that while Panay has adequate power plants, the pace of rising consumption continues to stress the system, increasing the risk of shortages during high-demand periods.
“Each kilowatt of energy consumed not only incurs financial costs but also results in environmental impacts and increased carbon emissions,” she said.
DOE’s appeal coincides with the observance of National Energy Consciousness Month (NECM), themed “Energy for EveryJuan: Bawat Bahay, May Enerhiya,” which highlights the role of individual households in maintaining grid stability.
Arciaga urged the public to adopt simple but effective conservation measures, including switching to LED lighting, unplugging idle appliances, optimizing air-conditioning use, and turning off devices when not in use, especially during holiday gatherings.
She said the DOE is ramping up information and education campaigns across the Visayas to instill a culture of mindful energy use as demand surges during year-end festivities.
Beyond the holidays, the NECM campaign also outlines long-term priorities, such as stricter enforcement of energy management policies, expanded digital monitoring of power consumption, and accelerated development of renewable energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
As families celebrate the season, Arciaga stressed that collective action is crucial to keeping the lights on.
“By working together and being intentional about how we use energy, we can ensure that our power resources remain sustainable for present and future generations,” she said.
DOE called on every household in the Visayas to actively participate in conservation efforts to help secure a more resilient and sustainable energy future for the region./PN
