By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Raffy Tulfo has been working closely with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to ensure the reliability of current power plants.
Tulfo’s statement comes after NGCP declared red and yellow alerts for the Luzon and Visayas Grids on April 16 due to over 30 power plants being offline or operating at reduced capacity.
“The recent alert levels are concerning, especially since Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Felix Fuentebella stated in February that the country had sufficient power supply during the El Niño season. Additionally, the DOE mentioned no anticipated power supply issues in the coming months,” said Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy.
“I have been in communication with the DOE and NGCP to ensure that our current power plants are reliable and won’t fail, especially during this exceptionally hot weather,” Tulfo added.
Tulfo emphasized the importance of rigorous monitoring by the DOE, NGCP, and power generation companies to prevent recurring brownouts.
“The adverse effects of power outages are significant, particularly on the health and economy of our fellow citizens. When there are widespread brownouts in the country, consumers suffer the most,” the lawmaker remarked.
(el Amigo/MNM)
