DOE Expects Minimal Power Interruptions This Summer

The Department of Energy (DOE) has forecasted low chances of power interruptions during the dry season from March to June 2025, in line with the Independent Energy Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP)’s earlier projections.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla expressed confidence in the country’s improved energy landscape, citing the commissioning of new energy projects in 2024.

“With regards to the power situation for summer, and barring unforeseen events or interruptions, overall, we are in a much better situation this year than we were back in 2024 because we have several energy projects that have come online, not only for the generation side but also for the transmission side as well,” Lotilla said in a media briefing.

He added that around 1,400 megawatts (MW) of new generation capacity were added in 2024, bolstering energy reserves for the 2025 dry season.

Despite this progress, Lotilla acknowledged the country’s unique challenges as an archipelago, with varying energy scenarios across islands.

He stressed that while Luzon is operating normally, the Visayas remains dependent on power imports from Luzon and Mindanao.

“To note, Visayas is still very dependent on energy imports from both Luzon and Mindanao and generation sources are concentrated on certain parts. Meanwhile in Mindanao, we still have some excess capacity that we can export to both islands,” Lotilla said.

DOE data projects electricity demand at 14,769 MW for Luzon, 3,111 MW for the Visayas, and 2,789 MW for Mindanao.

In December 2024, IEMOP predicted minimal chances of yellow and red alerts during the summer months, along with a low probability of brownouts and blackouts.

However, it warned that random power supply interruptions could still occur due to unplanned maintenance shutdowns of aging power plants.

Lotilla emphasized the need to continuously expand generation capacity to keep pace with rising electricity demand, ensuring stable power supply across the country.