THE VISAYAS power grid was placed under a yellow alert for four hours on Thursday as five major coal-fired power plants remained offline, tightening electricity reserves in the region.
In an advisory, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said the yellow alert would be in effect from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
During the alert period, available generating capacity was projected at 2,478 megawatts (MW) against an expected peak demand of 2,291 MW, leaving the grid with limited operating reserves.
A yellow alert is issued when power reserves fall below the required level, increasing the risk of service interruptions should another major power plant unexpectedly go offline.
The Visayas grid has been experiencing tight power supply for several months due to its heavy dependence on electricity imports from the Luzon and Mindanao grids.
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin earlier said that while the Visayas has a growing number of renewable energy facilities, the region still requires more reliable baseload power plants to ensure a stable electricity supply.
Energy officials, however, expressed optimism that the power situation will improve as additional generation capacities are expected to come online in the coming months. (Lisbet K. Esmael © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
