No ‘red button’ to shut off PH grid, NGCP chief tells Senate

MANILA, Philippines — The National Grid Corporation (NGCP) said there is “no proverbial red button” that could shut off the country’s power grid, adding that there are existing protocols to prevent “unsupervised remote access” to it.

In Monday’s Senate hearing into the operations of the NGCP amid the fears that China could remotely access the Philippines’ power grid, NGCP President Anthony Almeda once again belied claims that such security threats could happen.

“To statements attributed to some government officials which claim that the Chinese have been granted power to remotely shut down the national transmission system, hindi po totoo ito. There is no proverbial red button that can instantly turn off the grid,” he told the Senate energy committee.

“Kahit ako po hindi ko maisasara ang grid nang mag-isa,” he added.

Almeda said he would disclose to the committee in an executive session existing protocols “that actually prevent the unsupervised remote access to the grid.”

“I am willing to discuss with the honorable committee these protocols but only in executive session,” he added.

Almeda assured the panel that the NGCP “takes security seriously.”

“As regard control over the system operations in several public declarations, Transco (National Transmission Corporation) claimed that NGCP system operations is presently controlled and operated by China  through State Grid Corporation of China or SGCC, this is completely false,” he said.

“The management control of system operation are exercised exclusively by Filipino engineers, even the specifications of technical equipment sourced from various suppliers were designed by Filipino engineers before purchase orders were made,” he added.

He argued that not because the number of these technical equipment were supplied by Chinese entities, it does not mean that SGCC “now exercises control over the system operations.”

Almeda then assured the committee that the NGCP “has always been committed to protecting the interest of the Filipinos.

“NGCP has conducted its business in full compliance with law, and always with the end in view of providing every Filipino the opportunity if enjoying safe, efficient, and affordable electricity,” he added.

While Senator Sherwin Gatchalian welcomed the assurance of the NGCP, he still expressed doubts.

“As much as I want to believe you, without  any check and balance, it’s very difficult for us to sleep every night  without any lingering fear,” Gatchalian, who chairs the committee, told Almeda.

“That’s why it’s imperative for government to exercise its mandate of check and balance and to assure the public that all of the things that you’ve mentioned is indeed happening.” he added.