Palace orders DoE to stabilize Visayas grid

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has ordered the Department of Energy (DoE) to stabilize the power supply and grid conditions across Luzon and the Visayas, the Palace said.

Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said on Thursday that the President met this week with Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin to discuss the status of national energy projects and current supply levels. 

“The directive is to fix or normalize the situation the soonest possible time,” Ms. Castro told a news briefing.

“The Catanduanes power situation and stockpiling project were also discussed,” she added, without providing details.

The Palace added that Mr. Marcos directed the Energy Regulatory Commission to review the performance of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and ensure the completion of its deliverables.

Infrastructure development remains a priority for the administration including the construction of new power plants and the expansion of the transmission network, according to Ms. Castro.

These measures follow recent challenges in the energy sector, such as the red and yellow alerts declared over the Luzon and Visayas grids last month and a system-wide blackout in Palawan.

Ms. Castro reiterated that the national fuel inventory currently remains stable.

“As of May 29, the country has about 46 days’ worth of the fuel reserves,” she said. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking