NGCP calls for holistic approach to Panay Island power supply issues

MANILA, Philippines — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Friday refuted the allegations of neglecting its responsibility to stabilize the transmission system on Panay Island which led to a large-scale power outage in parts of Western Visayas this week.

In a statement addressing the Panay generation failure, the NGCP stressed that it is mandated to "transmit power from producers to grid-connected areas to the country."

“As the transmission service provider, NGCP can only give an overview of the current supply and demand situation and endeavor to dispatch any and all available power. It cannot intervene on matters concerning power generation,” it said.

The power grid concessionaire explained that it did not see any transmission disturbance before the PEDC Unit tripped and several power plants later tripped "inexplicably."

"Data from our system shows no abnormality in voltage and system stability," NGCP said.

It decried critics who suggested that it failed in its obligation to stabilize the transmission system as it emphasized that it took actions within its protocols.

"We also take exception to the allegations that we were less than transparent in providing information to the public. We provide regular updates to all stakeholders, including the media and government units (LGUS), through print, radio, broadcast, social media, and text blasts," the power grid concessionaire said.

The NGCP also said that the ongoing power interruption should not be exploited for personal or political motives and called on the government and concerned agencies to provide solution for the power issue.

"Rather than using NGCP as a scapegoat, we urge policymakers to be objective in their search for facts and not coddle certain sectors. This is not a time to push personal or political agendas, but a time for honest-to-goodness solution finding," NGCP said.

"We again reiterate our push for a comprehensive industry-wide approach to resolve the persistent power supply issues on Panay Island and elsewhere in the country," it pointed out.

The statement of the power grid concessionaire was issued after the Department of Energy (DOE) called out the power grid