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Lawmakers voiced frustration with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) handling of the Visayas’ continuing power shortage during a joint hearing of the committees on Visayas Development and Legislative Franchises, where DOE officials acknowledged there was no “immediate solution” to the crisis.
The hearing examined the causes of recurring yellow and red alerts in the region since May, as well as the procurement of ancillary services and the costs ultimately passed on to consumers.
“Why red and yellow? Why can’t Mindanao plants supply? Why can’t Luzon supply?” asked Committee on Energy chairman Rep. Jose Alvarez.
In response, DOE Undersecretary Mario Marasigan said simultaneous outages at major Mindanao power plants have constrained electricity transfers to the Visayas, with only about 50 megawatts (MW) currently available.
“The important thing is for the plants that are offline to come back online immediately,” he explained.
Despite these measures, Marasigan cautioned that the Visayas could still face Yellow and Red Alerts in the second and third weeks of October.
(Also read: Beyond the Price Cap: Fixing the Visayas’ Power Problem)
Baseload Capacity Gains Urgency
Beyond restoring offline generating units, the government is advancing 253 MW of battery energy storage projects across the Visayas. DOE Secretary Garin said the facilities would store surplus renewable energy (RE) generated during the day and discharge it during late-afternoon and evening peaks, helping bridge the mismatch between renewable generation and when demand is highest.
The government is also seeking 200 MW to 250 MW of temporary capacity from power barges and available diesel plants, which Garin noted could be deployed by late 2026 or early 2027.
However, she highlighted that these measures would only bridge the gap until permanent generating capacity comes online.
Additionally, the DOE is pursuing a long-term plan to reduce the Visayas’ reliance on power imports from Luzon and Mindanao by expanding local generation and developing RE projects in areas where baseload plants may not be feasible.
The roadmap calls for 135 MW of new baseload capacity in Panay by 2028, followed by 270 MW in 2029 and another 150 MW in 2030. It is also considering 220 MW to 440 MW of gas-fired mid-merit capacity by 2028 to serve Panay and Negros, providing flexible supply when major plants go offline or renewable generation falls.
But Garin recognized that the region’s long-term power projects cannot deliver additional capacity overnight, noting that the need for some of these facilities had become apparent much earlier.
“This should have been planned five years ago,” she remarked. “The good news is that the companies are willing to rush the construction of these power plants.”
The region’s supply gap is further complicated by Negros Occidental’s 2019 coal-free policy and Negros Oriental’s ban on new fossil-fuel power plants under its Clean and Renewable Energy Code.
“Negros has no baseload power, except for one geothermal plant. It relies entirely on renewables—specifically solar. There is a lack of conventional power plants,” pointed out Marasigan, adding that the grid’s reliance on variable renewable generation leaves less flexibility when conventional power plants are forced offline, potentially further squeezing available supply.
Meanwhile, the Cebu Energy Rights Advocates (CERA) warned that the continued prohibition of coal-fired power plants in Negros and Bohol is further straining the interconnected Visayas grid, leaving baseload reserves in Cebu, Panay, and Leyte increasingly stretched.
Despite having more than 950 MW of installed capacity, Negros has only about 240 MW of baseload supply from the Palinpinon geothermal plants, leaving the province reliant on imports to meet its roughly 450-MW evening peak as solar output falls. Bohol faces a wider capacity gap, with peak demand exceeding 100 MW against only 26 MW to 30 MW of dependable in-island capacity.
Chua called on local leaders in Negros and Bohol to reconsider their restrictions on coal-fired power projects, warning that heavy reliance on imported baseload electricity is placing growing pressure on the interconnected Visayas grid. He said the lack of sufficient 24/7 local generation could further strain key submarine transmission cables and raise the risk of a larger region-wide power crisis.
“Demand for power is shared by one Visayas grid; therefore, the responsibility for the burden of baseload supply must also be shared,” he asserted, adding that the prohibition of coal “ignores the physical realities of the grid.”
Following the congressional joint hearing, Deputy Speaker Alfredo Abelardo Benitez outlined two proposals aimed at addressing the Visayas’ recurring power outages, covering both immediate grid needs and longer-term planning.
One proposal would identify and prioritize areas where new power plants should be built, directing additional capacity to locations with the greatest need. The other calls for the Luzon and Visayas grids to be decoupled retroactively.
“This would trigger the secondary price cap for yellow and red alert periods, and could mean lighter bills for consumers who paid steep prices while enduring rotational brownouts,” the Bacolod-based lawmaker explained.
Grid Planning Under Scrutiny
CERA is also backing a congressional proposal to return national transmission planning to the government, arguing that weaknesses in the power grid have worsened supply problems in the Visayas.
The proposal would give the DOE and the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) a larger role in long-term transmission planning, while narrowing the mandate of the privately owned National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) to project development and construction.
CERA convenor Nathaniel Chua stressed that the Visayas’ recent yellow and red alerts were compounded by an aging and inadequate transmission network. He pointed to figures presented during a congressional hearing showing that Luzon had around 5,000 MW of excess capacity even as the Visayas and Mindanao faced shortages.
“That massive 5,000 MW capacity in Luzon could have helped alleviate the situation in the Visayas and Mindanao, but our transmission infrastructure simply could not deliver it,” Chua said.
He explained that placing strategic transmission planning under the DOE and TransCo would allow grid expansion to better reflect national demand and the needs of consumers, particularly in the Visayas, where major load centers are spread across several islands.
“We need transparency and accountability,” Chua declared.
(Also read: Semirara Future Clouded As DOE Halts Coal Bidding)
Economic Fallout Deepens
The Visayas power crisis is increasingly being felt beyond the grid, with lawmakers and business groups warning of consequences for education, small businesses and regional growth.
Senator Bam Aquino said prolonged outages and electricity rates of P18 to P20 per kilowatt-hour are affecting students, livelihoods and business operations, underscoring that the crisis is not simply an energy problem but an economic one.
“Paano natin mapapalago ang Visayas at Mindanao kung hindi natin maresolba ang problema ng electricity generation (How can the Visayas and Mindanao achieve sustained growth if their power generation problems remain unresolved)?” he asked.
Business leaders likewise urged the national government to give greater attention to the region’s power supply, saying reliable electricity is essential to sustaining growth in Central Visayas and other economic centers outside Metro Manila.
The pressure has also intensified calls for accountability. Consumer, labor and climate groups under the Power for People Coalition have demanded Garin’s resignation, arguing that recurring outages and high electricity costs have persisted six months into the national energy emergency. The groups said the Visayas had recorded 43 red alerts and 107 yellow alerts since May.
For PhilStar columnist Boo Chanco, there is nothing wrong with pursuing cleaner energy and protecting the environment. But for the Philippines, securing reliable power and sustaining economic growth remain pressing needs. The country’s energy transition must therefore be weighed against the immediate demands of businesses, communities and a growing economy.
“The Philippines only accounts for roughly 0.44 percent to 0.45 percent of the world’s annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and about 0.5 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions,” wrote Chanco.
While this does not remove the need to pursue RE, it underscores the need for a balanced approach—one that advances green ambitions without compromising the reliable power needed to keep the economy moving.
Sources:
https://insiderph.com/doe-maps-visayas-power-buildup-eyes-healthier-grid-by-2029
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063875
https://energy.com.ph/negros-oriental-enacts-phs-first-renewable-energy-code
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1284538
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/cera-seeks-govt-control-of-transmission-planning
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1284062
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2311853/groups-to-doe-chief-quit-over-visayas-power-woes