Rotational brownout hits Metro Cebu amid thinning power supply

Local

THE Visayas power grid will remain under red and yellow alert status on Thursday as thin operating reserves and unavailable power plants continue to strain the electricity supply in the region, resulting in rotational brownouts in some areas.

The situation has drawn concern from utilities and business groups over energy reliability and economic impact.

Power utility firm Visayan Electric urged consumers to practice mindful electricity use, particularly during peak demand hours, as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Visayas Grid under red alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 14.

Yellow alert status will also take effect from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

In a statement sent on Thursday, May 14, Engr. Nino Paolo Cerrado, officer-in-charge head of Visayan Electric’s Reputation Enhancement Department, said the company acknowledged the red alert declaration and attributed the situation to “thin operating reserves brought about by the unavailability of several power plants and high system demand.”

The utility firm said it continues to coordinate with NGCP, power generators, and the Department of Energy to monitor the situation and support grid stability.

“At this time, Visayan Electric continues to serve customers within its franchise area while implementing the necessary operational measures to help manage the impact of current grid conditions,” the company said.

Select areas in Metro Cebu experience rotational brownouts on Wednesday, wherein Visayan Electric implemented controlled outages in parts of Cebu City, Mandaue City, Naga City, and San Fernando as the system remained under tight operating reserves.

The utility firm said the first interruption ran from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., affecting portions of Cebu City and Mandaue City, including areas such as Banilad, Carreta, Cebu Business Park, Mabolo, Subangdaku, Tipolo, and Tisa.

Additional affected areas included parts of Naga City and San Fernando.

NGCP reported that the Visayas Grid has an available capacity of 2,413 megawatts against a peak demand of 2,541 megawatts.

The grid operator said 11 power plants have been on forced outage since March 2026, four since 2025, two since 2024, two since 2023, and one plant has remained out since 2021.

It added that 12 plants are operating on derated capacities, leaving a total of 866.7 megawatts unavailable to the grid.

“A red alert status is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement,” NGCP said.

“A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement,” it added.

Business leaders also raised concern over the repeated grid alerts, warning of wider economic implications for competitiveness and investment confidence.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Regan King said the recurring yellow alerts are “a growing concern for the business community,” stressing that reliable and affordable power remains critical to economic growth, investor confidence, and job creation.

He said power instability can disrupt operations across multiple sectors, including manufacturing, BPOs, healthcare, retail, MSMEs, and tourism, while also increasing costs and reducing competitiveness.

Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president Barbara Gothong-Tan said the recurring yellow alerts reflect the need for stronger long-term energy planning, increased investment in generation, and improvements in transmission infrastructure.

She noted that power costs already account for a significant share of operating expenses, with some factories spending up to 40 percent of costs on electricity, adding that outages and higher rates affect productivity, raise consumer prices, and may damage sensitive equipment.

Gothong-Tan warned that unstable and expensive electricity could discourage investments in high-value industries such as data centers, electric vehicle manufacturing, and semiconductor production.

This places Cebu and the whole country at a disadvantage compared to neighboring economies with more stable and affordable power systems.

Talisay Chamber of Commerce president Carl Cabusas said the situation underscores the vulnerability of MSMEs and businesses amid economic pressures, as even brief interruptions affect logistics, operations, and customer services.

He called for immediate stabilization measures from energy authorities and long-term investments in grid modernization, renewable energy, and backup systems.(MyTVCebu)