Solons seeks probe into brownouts after DOE vowed no dry-season power outages

Makabayan bloc members Representatives Arlene Brosas of Gabriela (left) and France Castro of ACT Teachers show a court record in front of the Supreme Court in Manila. Former Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna is also shown in this file photo when the Makabayan bloc challenged the Maharlika fund during their appeal at the Supreme Court on Feb. 13, 2023. (Photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers from the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc are pressing for an investigation into the brownouts that impacted various parts of Metro Manila and other provinces, after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) recently declared red and yellow alerts.

In House Resolution (HR) No. 971 they filed on Monday, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel questioned why brownouts occurred when the Department of Energy (DOE) assured last March 2023 no power interruption for the dry season.

READ: Outages unlikely in dry season, DOE assures public 

However, several areas in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Rizal were hit by brownouts last May 8 after NGCP declared a red alert on the Luzon Grid, and yellow alert on the Visayas Grid.

READ: Brownouts hit Metro Manila, several Luzon provinces 

Despite yearly dry season outages, power generators and distributors remain inactive, according to Castro.

“Dapat talagang maimbestigahan ito at mapanagot ang may kasalanan dahil kada summer na lang ay ganito ang nangyayari at di nila sinosolusyonan. Dahil na din siguro sa kumikita ang mga power players sa ganitong modus,” Castro said.

(We really need to investigate this and hold accountable whoever is at fault, because every summer, we experience these things and they do not provide a solution.  Maybe this is because power players earn from this modus operandi.)

NGCP declared a red alert last May 8 after the capacity in the Luzon Grid was only at 12,186 megawatts — slightly below the peak demand of 12,468 megawatts.  This was caused by five power plants being on a forced outage, affecting the delivery of electricity to Visayas.

READ: Red alert raised in Luzon grid – NGCP 

Power distributor Manila Electric Company said that over 320,000 customers were affected during the red alert period.

READ: Meralco reports power interruption in some areas amid Luzon grid ‘red alert’ 

Makabayan bloc’s resolution said that the investigation should be done to identify how Republic Act No. 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) could be repealed or amended, as it has failed to provide sufficient electricity to Filipino households and industries.

“Contrary to the promises of Republic Act 9136, also known as the [EPIRA], privatization of the electric power industry did not result in more affordable, accessible and reliable electricity to the Filipino people. For more than two decades of its implementation, the power situation in the Philippines did not improve,” the lawmakers said in HR No. 971.

“While the private companies earn billions of profit, the Filipino people are suffering from high cost of electricity rates, and rotational and unplanned power outages. If not ultimately repealed, it is high time for Congress to, at the very least, review and introduce amendments to EPIRA,” they added.

DOE said last May 12, days after the red and yellow alerts, that electric supply is expected to remain thin until the third week of June.

While yellow alerts usually do not lead to power outages, red alerts prompt distributors to conduct rotating brownouts to ensure that there would be sufficient electricity for the demand.

While Luzon and Visayas got alerts, DOE said that it is not expected in Mindanao because there is a surplus of electricity in the area.

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Power reserves staying thin till 3rd week of June 

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JPV/abc