Visayas Faces Brownout Risk Amid Tight Power Supply

Consumers in the Visayas region of the Philippines may face power interruptions on Friday as a tight power supply persists, largely due to coal power plant outages and limited electricity imports from Mindanao. The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has placed the Visayas under a red alert from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. The grid will also be under a yellow alert from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and again from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. As of 8 a.m., available capacity stood at 2,360 megawatts (MW), while peak demand was recorded at 2,348 MW, indicating a very thin margin of supply over demand. A yellow alert signifies that power supply can still meet demand, but it serves as a warning that any plant breakdown could lead to brownouts. A red alert, conversely, means supply is insufficient to meet demand, and unmanaged demand could trigger power outages. This persistent power supply challenge in the Visayas highlights broader issues within the Philippine energy sector, particularly concerning the reliability of existing power sources and the adequacy of inter-island power transmission. Efforts to diversify energy sources and enhance domestic generation capacity are ongoing, but immediate solutions for stable supply remain a critical concern for consumers and businesses alike. Information Source: Inquirer Business