Grid alerts in the Visayas and Mindanao are expected to see partial relief this month as several key power plants resume operations, according to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin. During a Monday online media briefing, Garin outlined a schedule for returning generation units to service to address persistent yellow and red alert statuses across both island grids.
Power Plant Resumptions and Grid Capacities
According to Department of Energy data, Unit 1 of the Cebu Energy Development Corporation resumed operations on Sept. 5. Additional supply is slated to return as Unit 1 of Therma Visayas Inc. comes back online on Sept. 15, followed by Unit 3 of the Panay Energy Development Corporation on Oct. 3. In Mindanao, Unit 2 of Therma South Inc. is scheduled for a Sept. 8 restart, followed by Unit 1 on Sept. 19, and Unit 2 of GNPower Kauswagan on Sept. 20. These resumptions aim to add crucial capacity to grids facing heavy supply constraints.
Data from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) cited by the DOE shows that the Visayas grid recorded 96 yellow alerts and 33 red alerts since the start of the year through Monday. Meanwhile, the Mindanao grid recorded 12 yellow alerts and three red alerts over the same period.
Short-Term Storage and Long-Term Baseload Relief
To bridge the supply gap before larger projects arrive, private generation companies are preparing to supply battery energy storage systems (BESS), according to Garin. A total of 253 megawatts of BESS capacity is designated for the Visayas grid, spread across facilities in Cebu, Panay, Negros, and Leyte. Additionally, the DOE has discussed deploying temporary diesel generation or power barges while working through transmission connection issues.
Looking ahead, the agency has laid out plans for extra baseload supply slated to become operational throughout 2028, 2029, and 2030, featuring fresh initiatives in Cebu and Panay aimed at guaranteeing long-term energy reliability.
Official Stance on Urgency and Accountability
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin called the low power supply situation in the Visayas “unacceptable,” while assuring consumers that regulators and stakeholders “are treating it with utmost urgency.” Garin emphasized that accountability measures target any party delaying power restoration. “We are restoring power fast, adding backup capacity, and holding accountable anyone — power plant or grid operator — who is slowing that down,” she stated, adding that “the most expensive electricity is no electricity at all.” Regulators intend to prioritize grid stabilization over penalization, with Garin noting, “We want it fixed before we get to the part on accountability. Our first job is to stabilize the Visayas grid as fast as possible.”
