DOE moves to stabilize Visayas grid after outages

The Department of Energy is accelerating the restoration of generating units and deploying additional battery storage following rotational power outages in the Visayas.

The response is intended to protect households, businesses and essential services from further interruptions after simultaneous plant outages reduced the reserves available to absorb another unexpected generating-unit failure.

The DOE is also addressing transmission constraints and strengthening accountability among generation companies and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines for recurring reliability problems.

Cebu Energy Development Corporation Unit 1 in Cebu, which has a capacity of 82 megawatts, returned to service on September 5.

Therma Visayas Unit 1, with 169 MW, is scheduled to return by September 15.

Panay Energy Development Corporation Unit 3, with 150 MW, is targeted to resume operations by October 3.

The DOE is also coordinating the return of generating units in Mindanao that can support the Visayas through the interconnected grid.

Therma South Inc Unit 2 in Davao, with 150 MW, is scheduled to return by September 8.

Therma South Inc Unit 1, also with 150 MW, is expected back by September 19.

GN Power Kauswagan Unit 2 in Lanao del Norte, with 103 MW, is targeted to return by September 20.

The Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection allows electricity to be shared between the two regional grids through a transmission system with an initial transfer capacity of 450 MW that can be expanded to 900 MW, according to NGCP.

The DOE is working with power companies to deploy 253 MW of battery storage across Cebu, Panay, Leyte and Negros.

Some of the battery facilities are already prepared to provide immediate support to the Visayas grid.

Battery storage can respond quickly when a generating unit suddenly trips or electricity supply becomes tight, helping stabilize the grid while the system adjusts.

The DOE has directed NGCP to execute outstanding ancillary services contracts needed by the Visayas grid, including contracts covering battery capacity.

The department issued a Show Cause Order in August over delays in carrying out its directives.

Beyond restoring capacity, the DOE is reviewing generating facilities with recurring forced outages to determine the causes of repeated failures.

The review will also examine whether the generating facilities have been properly maintained.

DOE field offices have been deployed to inspect and thoroughly investigate the affected power plants.

Building on its Generation Company Accountability circular issued in February, the department is auditing compliance with maintenance schedules.

The DOE will require Corrective Action Plans where necessary, issue Show Cause Orders when warranted and pursue sanctions once violations are established.

“Kapag paulit-ulit nasisira ang isang planta, hindi puwedeng paulit-ulit din ang sagot na ‘nag-trip po.’ We need to know why it happened, and we need the underlying problem corrected,” Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said.

The department is also assessing transmission constraints across the Visayas, including the Leyte-Samar corridor.

The assessment will identify problems that can be addressed immediately and infrastructure that needs to be strengthened.

The interconnected island grids of Cebu, Negros, Panay, Leyte, Samar and Bohol constitute the Visayas grid, according to NGCP.

Interim measures, including power barges and generator sets, are being put in place to provide additional electricity where needed.

Over the longer term, additional dependable and renewable energy capacity is expected for Cebu-Bohol and Panay-Negros beginning in 2028.

For Cebu-Bohol, the pipeline includes 150 MW of new baseload capacity in 2028 and 107 MW in 2029.

The area is also expected to receive 470 MW of additional renewable energy capacity in 2028 and another 60 MW in 2029.

For Panay-Negros, the pipeline includes 135 MW of baseload capacity in 2028, 270 MW in 2029, 150 MW in 2030 and 135 MW in 2031.

Another 100 MW of renewable energy capacity is expected in Panay-Negros in 2028, followed by 270 MW in 2029.

“The forecasts, investments, and additional capacity we need today should have been planned and put in place years ago. What we can do now is act with urgency: stabilize the Visayas grid, strengthen long-overdue oversight and accountability of our power plants and grid operator, and move the projects already in the pipeline,” Secretary Garin said.

The DOE is also advancing work on the long-term power requirements of Mindoro and Palawan.

The effort focuses on developing the generation and transmission infrastructure needed to support the islands’ growing electricity requirements.

For Mindoro, the department is accelerating the remaining legal, financial, regulatory and procurement requirements for the One Mindoro Power Grid Development.

The project is targeted for completion by 2027.

An alignment meeting was held on September 1 with the Maharlika Investment Corporation, National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation and National Transmission Corporation.

The agencies are working against specific timelines to finalize the agreements, funding arrangements and other requirements needed to move the project forward.

For Palawan, the DOE will convene the provincial government, local governments, legislators, national agencies and power-sector stakeholders on September 25.

The meeting will present the draft Mainland Palawan Energy Masterplan.

The masterplan covers renewable energy opportunities, the proposed 69-kilovolt transmission project and priority infrastructure needed to support Palawan’s growing energy requirements.

The Mindoro and Palawan initiatives are intended to shift power planning away from repeatedly responding to supply and infrastructure constraints toward deliberately meeting the long-term electricity needs of island communities.

“Ang prayoridad ng DOE: sapat at maaasahang kuryente para sa Visayas. We are working to stabilize the situation as fast as possible, and we expect every power plant and every part of the grid to do its part,” Secretary Garin said.