Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 28) — President Rodrigo Duterte has made it clear to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) that he wants no more incidents of rotating brownouts, his spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday.
The President made the statement during a meeting last week with NGCP officials following power interruptions that hit parts of Luzon, according to Roque.
“Ang bottom line, sinabi ni Presidente, ‘Ayaw kong magkaroon ng rotational brownouts’ [The bottom line is that the President said, ‘I don’t want any more rotational brownouts],” he said in a briefing on Monday.
Roque also acknowledged, however, the NGCP’s explanation that ensuring there will be no more similar events is not within its control.
“Ang sabi naman ng NGCP [The NGCP for its part said] it’s a supply problem, at ‘yung kanilang [and its] ancillary authority to purchase power is only to provide stability of the grid,” he said.
In a message to CNN Philippines, NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza explained they can only purchase electricity for the purpose of balancing the grid and keeping voltage and frequency stable. This means the NGCP cannot itself supply replacement power, she added.
“It’s a supply problem, not a stability problem,” Alabanza said. “Voltage and frequency did not cause the power interruptions, a lack of supply did.”
The privately owned corporation has already committed to bid out all its ancillary service requirements. However, it earlier noted that in addressing the electric supply issues, the country needs to have more power plants in order to keep up with the rising demand.
