President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to review the performance of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines amid recent power disruptions in parts of Luzon and the Visayas, Malacañang said Thursday.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos gave the directive during a meeting with officials of the Department of Energy and other energy agencies in Malacañang last Tuesday.
Castro said the meeting focused on the grid situation in Luzon and the Visayas, the power supply issues affecting parts of the country, and the need to stabilize electricity services.
“So, marami pa pong ibinilin ang Pangulo. Ibinilin po niya na dapat ang ERC ay mag-conduct ng performance review of the NGCP and ensure that it completes all its deliverables,” Castro said.
She said Marcos wants the power situation to be “fixed or normalized” as soon as possible.
Among the measures discussed were the construction of new power plants to increase energy production, the expansion of the transmission network, and interventions to address delays in submarine cable and transmission line projects.
“Unang-una po ay dapat po na mapagawa o ma-build ang new power plants to increase energy production. To expand the transmission network and implement interventions to address problems delaying the construction of submarine cables and transmission lines,” Castro said.
She said Marcos also ordered officials to check the status of NGCP projects and act quickly on issues affecting power supply.
“At sa lahat po ng maaaring maging sitwasyon dahil sa diumanong isyu sa power situation, ang utos po ng Pangulo ay mabilis ang aksiyon at tingnan din po kung ano po ang status ng mga proyekto at trabaho po ng NGCP,” she added.
Parts of Luzon and the Visayas have experienced power interruptions and supply concerns in recent months, especially during the summer and dry season.
Castro said officials also discussed the power situation in Catanduanes, where rotational brownouts have been reported due to supply issues.
The country’s fuel inventory was also taken up during the meeting. Castro said the inventory stood at 46 days as of May 29.