DOUBLE TIME FOR POWER: DOE moves to avert crisis as W. Visayas faces power crunch

By Rjay Zuriaga Cstor

The Department of Energy is accelerating infrastructure projects in the Visayas, particularly in Western Visayas, as the region faces growing electricity demand and a shrinking power supply margin.

Lourdes Arciaga, head of the DOE–Visayas Energy Resource Development and Utilization Division, said the agency is prioritizing renewable energy and other initiatives to boost supply.

“We are doubling time in Visayas, especially in Region 6,” she said in a press conference last week.

Arciaga identified Iloilo as a “growth area,” which translates to increasing electricity requirements.

She noted that the region has “a very thin supply margin,” meaning the grid operates with little buffer.

With such conditions, any unexpected outage of a large power plant or sudden surge in demand could lead to rotating blackouts or power interruptions.

One key challenge, Arciaga said, is the lack of ancillary services — critical support functions that keep the grid stable and ensure reliable power delivery.

Amid continued yellow alerts — signals of tight supply — the DOE is taking steps to avoid red alerts, which indicate critical power shortages.

Arciaga said one of the immediate measures is the Interruptible Load Program, which is actively implemented by MORE Power, the distribution utility in Iloilo City.

The ILP is a voluntary program under the DOE and Energy Regulatory Commission that activates during supply shortages or threats to grid stability, especially during peak demand periods or red alerts.

Under the program, large-load customers with generator sets — such as malls, factories and major establishments — are asked to temporarily power their own operations.

By doing so, ILP participants reduce pressure on the grid, allowing the available electricity to reach smaller consumers and those without generators.

Arciaga also addressed concerns about a repeat of the island-wide blackout that hit Panay in January 2024, describing it as “a special case” that was “not anticipated” and unlikely to happen again.

She said Panay Island is “no longer in a critical condition,” attributing the improvement to the Mindanao–Visayas Interconnection Project.

The project allows electricity transfers between the Mindanao and Visayas grids through a 184 circuit-kilometer high-voltage direct current submarine transmission line.

It has an initial capacity of 450 megawatts, expandable to 900 MW.

Since its energization in April 2023, Panay has been importing excess power from Mindanao, which has a significant power surplus.