Visayas power grid stays fragile as August begins
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Visayas power grid entered August with reserve margins remaining virtually unchanged from the previous week, based on data from grid operators.
Weekly grid outlook from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) showed available capacity is projected at 2,539 megawatts (MW) to 2,630 MW from Monday, August 3 to Friday, August 7.
Meanwhile, peak demand is forecasted at 2,311 MW to 2,398 MW.
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The figures translate to reserve margins of about 228 MW to 232 MW throughout the week, nearly identical to the estimated buffer during the last week of July.
They also suggest that the region continues to operate with limited room for unexpected plant outages.
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Although no yellow alerts are currently projected, the slim reserve margin means the grid remains susceptible to supply warnings should a major generating unit trip offline or electricity demand exceed forecasts.
A yellow alert is declared when operating reserves fall below the contingency requirement, signaling that the grid has limited flexibility to respond to sudden supply disruptions.
While such alerts do not automatically trigger power interruptions, they increase the likelihood of manual load reductions if system conditions deteriorate.
Plant outages
The Visayas grid has been operating with limited reserves for months following the prolonged outage of several major generating units, including the region’s key baseload power suppliers.
Since 2023, no less than 20 power plants have been under forced outages, according to earlier reports from NGCP. These and a surge in electricity demand, particularly during the summer, have been cited as major contributors to the Visayas grid’s strained power supply.
The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that the rehabilitation of the two units of Therma Visayas Inc. (TVI) remains on schedule, with both expected to return to service this month.
Their restoration is expected to significantly strengthen reserves and reduce the likelihood of recurring yellow alerts.
Additional relief is also expected from battery energy storage system (BESS) projects nearing commercial operations, including facilities in Leyte, Cebu and Panay that will provide greater flexibility in meeting peak demand and improving grid reliability.
Although a yellow alert does not automatically lead to power interruptions, it raises the risk of manual load reductions if supply conditions worsen.
The DOE has maintained that it is closely monitoring the Visayas system as new generating capacity gradually comes online under the government’s ongoing power infrastructure program.
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