Stable power in Mindanao, likely Yellow Alert in Luzon during polls

WHILE a Yellow Alert may be issued for Luzon’s power supply during the upcoming elections, the Department of Energy (DOE) reassured that Mindanao’s power supply remains stable, with no interruptions expected during this critical time. During the Power 101: Energy Security seminar held by DOE and AboitizPower at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on April 21, 2024, Engr. Mark Christian Marollano, supervising Science specialist at DOE’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, underscored their efforts to ensure smooth elections before, during, and after the elections to prevent disruptions.

Marollano further highlighted that these precautions are part of the Energy Task Force on Elections (ETFE), in line with policies set in 2018 that define the responsibilities of the power sector—generator, transmission, and distribution—to maintain a steady and sufficient supply during the elections. The DOE is also working closely with distribution utilities to ensure the smooth operation of critical infrastructure, particularly polling centers. "Lalung-lalo na sa bilangan, especially polling centers throughout the country.



In coordination with the Comelec and the distribution utilities, they check to inspect if these facilities have no issues electrically, meaning walang problema yung connection, transformer, panel board to ensure that polling centers during elections and after elections will be operating 24/7, hanggang matapos po yung bilangan (We’re coordinating with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure polling centers are fully operational, with no electrical issues such as power connections, transformers, or panel boards, so the election process can run smoothly 24/7, even during counting)," he added. While power in Mindanao remains stable, the DOE forecasts a Yellow Alert in Luzon due to high temperatures and concerns about power supply. The ongoing construction of a gas terminal in Batangas has limited the output of two power plants, which will affect contingency power reserves.

The DOE acknowledged the possibility of a Yellow Alert in May, especially during the elections, but assured the public that regular monitoring and preparations for the 2025 elections are underway through the ETFE. A Yellow Alert occurs when the contingency reserve is less than the capacity of the largest generating unit, indicating insufficient backup power to address forced outages. CEA.