Acting Senate President Win Gatchalian has filed a resolution calling for a legislative inquiry into the frequent red and yellow alerts issued by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), warning that the impending El Niño phenomenon could worsen the country’s energy situation.
Gatchalian filed Senate Resolution No. 425 to assess the actual condition of the nation’s power system and to establish necessary measures to avert widespread electricity shortages.
“Projections that the El Niño weather phenomenon may strengthen in the last four months of the year, up to January next year, could exacerbate the power-supply gap in the country,” Gatchalian said.
A red alert indicates that the available power supply cannot meet consumer demand and the grid’s necessary regulating reserves, while a yellow alert means the operating margins are insufficient to cover emergency contingency requirements.
Data cited by the lawmaker showed that between May 12 and May 31, the Visayas grid was placed under red alert for around 22 interval hours and under yellow alert for about 93 interval hours. During the identical timeframe, the Luzon grid experienced approximately 27 interval hours of red alerts and 5.5 interval hours of yellow alerts.
Gatchalian emphasized that the congressional probe intends to secure the reliability of the electrical grid and hold accountable any stakeholders responsible for the persistent supply gaps.
He noted that the investigation will also help formulate policy interventions to fortify the energy sector, enforce compliance among power generation companies, and ensure strict implementation of demand-side management under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act.
The inquiry aims at:
“ensuring generation companies meet the highest industry standards, crafting effective government interventions, and strictly enforcing energy laws including demand-side management under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act.”