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The Visayas grid was under a red alert from May 13 to 15, signaling that available electricity supply had fallen below required demand plus operating reserves. In grid operations, this is one of the most serious warning levels, indicating that the system is no longer operating with a safe buffer and may require load shedding or rotating outages to maintain stability.
Because the Visayas grid depends on electricity imports from Luzon, tight supply conditions in Luzon reduced power transfers and caused a cascading shortfall that pushed Visayas into its own red alert.
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin explained, “Nawala ang ibang planta dahil na-cut off ng grid…ang epekto niyan is up to Visayas kasi ang Visayas, dependent din sa Luzon power…so ngayon, di na maka-export si Luzon sa Visayas.” (Some plants went offline because they were cut off from the grid…the impact reaches as far as the Visayas since the Visayas also depends on Luzon power…so now, Luzon can no longer export to the Visayas.)
(Also read: Visayas Grid Gets Major Upgrade With MGEN’s Toledo Battery Storage Project)
What Triggered the Crisis
According to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), a total of 12 power plants have been on forced outage since March 2026, with additional units offline dating back to 2023, and even as far as 2021. Alongside these outages, 15 other plants are running at derated capacity, leaving about 862.3 MW unavailable to the grid. The operator also pointed to the lack of available power transfers from Luzon, combined with elevated system demand, as key drivers behind the alert conditions.
The DOE, however, pointed to issues involving the NGCP as the main cause of the outage. It said the grid emergency began around 6:00 a.m. after multiple transmission lines tripped, including the Ilijan–Dasmariñas line, followed by the Ilijan–Tayabas line, effectively isolating the Ilijan Gas-to-Power Complex from the Luzon grid. This sequence of failures triggered power alerts in Luzon and Visayas, which the agency described as “a cascading impact that underscores the severity of the transmission failures involved.”
“These transmission failures had real consequences on grid stability and placed millions of consumers at risk,” declared Garin. “The public deserves full and immediate transparency from NGCP. The DOE will ensure that all operational, reportorial, and regulatory obligations are strictly enforced in the protection of consumers.”
Additionally, the DOE raised concerns over NGCP’s delayed reporting of the Ilijan–Dasmariñas line trip, noting that the incident was not promptly disclosed to authorities despite its immediate impact on grid stability. The agency said NGCP had yet to submit the required incident report identifying the root cause of the May 13 tripping events. Under existing rules, NGCP is required to provide timely details on grid disturbances, including affected facilities, system conditions, load management actions, restoration timelines, and coordination with energy agencies within 60 minutes of any disruption.
During a May 15 radio interview, NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza confirmed that a transmission line tripped on May 13 but was restored within 12 hours. She explained that full power restoration would hinge on when affected power plants resume operations, though she did not specify the cause of the tripping incident.
Meanwhile, Garin explained that when power plants are disconnected from the grid, it naturally takes time for them to restart operations. Ang mga planta na nag-down, it will take them hours, some even days, to go back online. Kapag binigla natin, baka buong grid ang bumagsak.” (The plants that went down will take hours, and some even days, to come back online. If we rush it, the entire grid might collapse.) Therefore, the disruption can still be traced back to the initial transmission tripping incident involving NGCP.
Manila Times columnist Ben Kritz offered his opinion on what might have happened, saying that a 500-kilovolt (kV) high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line, among the largest in the grid, typically trips after detecting a fault and automatically shuts down to prevent potential damage. The sudden outage forced its load to be redistributed to other lines, overwhelming the 500-kV Tayabas–Dasmariñas line, which also tripped in quick succession as a protective response.
The cascading disconnection triggered a rapid chain reaction across connected power plants, whichvimmediately shut down once they had nowhere to send their output to avoid equipment damage. Within seconds, several thousand megawatts were lost from the Luzon grid, including the 2,000-MW Ilijan gas plant and other facilities.
“This ended up also affecting the Visayas grid, because apart from supply that was unavailable due to several power plants being down for maintenance — something that is totally normal at this time of the year — the supply deficit in Luzon meant that power could not be exported from Luzon to the Visayas to help boost the latter’s supply,” he explained.
For now, the DOE is prioritizing a full assessment of accountability surrounding the incident. “The public deserves a complete accounting of incidents of this magnitude,” stated Garin. “We will ensure that all operational, technical, and compliance dimensions are fully examined and that appropriate actions are taken where warranted.”
(Also read: Cebu on the Brink: Energy Shortages Threaten Its Economic Momentum)
Renewed Call for Robust Baseload Power in the Visayas
The series of red alerts across the Luzon and Visayas grids has renewed calls for stronger and more reliable baseload power capacity.
The Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute (PERPI), an independent energy policy and sustainability think tank, warned that the recent alerts highlight the need for a more integrated, long-term energy strategy as the country scales up renewable energy.
“As in the last few years, we have recommended the need for an integrated power plan that balances the integration of renewables with necessary baseload capacities and optimal resource-based energy mix,” stressed PERPI executive board member Jay Layug.
He added that as renewable energy capacity expands, power systems must be properly calibrated to ensure a stable and reliable baseload supply.
Meanwhile, Primelectric Holdings, the parent company of Negros Power, has called for more dependable and balanced energy solutions to support economic growth in the Visayas, pointing to increasing power demand and recurring supply alerts.
Roel Z. Castro, president and CEO of Primelectric Holdings Inc., said the Visayas is expected to see a significant rise in power demand in the coming years, driven by economic growth, industrial expansion, and increasing investments across Panay, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, and Bohol. He noted that while renewable energy remains a key long-term objective, the region still needs dependable baseload power to maintain grid stability and avoid supply shortfalls.
“The supply gap is not theoretical,” Castro said, pointing to recurring yellow alerts in the Visayas grid and the increasing need for investment in reliable energy infrastructure.
Castro also highlighted key constraints facing the Visayas grid, including limited interconnection capacity, supply imbalances, and rising global fuel costs. The Visayas continues to rely heavily on inter-island transmission corridors and imported power during peak demand periods, underscoring vulnerabilities in grid reliability.
Cebu is also feeling the pressure, with around 60% of the island’s electricity supply sourced from outside, leaving it vulnerable to potential disruptions in external supply. Moreover, Cebu remains the largest energy consumer in the Visayas, accounting for an estimated 40 to 50% of total regional electricity demand.
Melanie Ng, representing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Cebu, said businesses continue to grapple with cost pressures, with most efforts focused on trimming operating expenses, which include electricity. She stressed, “Top of mind is always lowering the cost of doing business.”
The developments have reinforced the case for prioritizing internal generation capacity in the Visayas, allowing the region to better support its growing economic base without over-reliance on external supply. Stakeholders stress that this shift can no longer be delayed, as reliable baseload power is essential to ensure energy security and sustain long-term growth.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/live/bv-y1EgIezg
https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2026/05/14/2527837/visayas-grid-red-alert
https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/05/17/opinion/columns/about-those-power-supply-alerts/2345560/amp
https://tribune.net.ph/2026/05/15/power-strains-prompt-fresh-call-for-stronger-baseload
https://www.dailyguardian.com.ph/blog/negros-power-flags-urgent-need-for-reliable-visayas-energy
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/720889/cebus-growing-energy-gap-becomes-investor-risk-factor