First yellow alert of 2026 raised over Visayas grid

THE Visayas grid was placed on yellow alert on Tuesday, the first such alert this year, following forced outages at several power plants, according to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

In an advisory, NGCP said that the Visayas grid was placed on yellow alert between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Peak demand hit 2,284 megawatts (MW) against the available capacity of 2,403 MW.

A total of 681.1 MW was unavailable to the grid after 20 power plants went on forced outage and 21 were running on derated capacities.

A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin falls below the transmission grid’s contingency requirement, narrowing the supply-demand buffer.

“The Luzon and Mindanao grids are (operating normally),” the NGCP said.

Eight yellow alerts were raised in 2025 over the Visayas  grid, while the Mindanao grid experienced one yellow alert.

The Department of Energy expects power supply in the Visayas to be vulnerable this year because of its dependence on the other two island grids.

Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin has said that the final power outlook for this year is expected to be ready within the month. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera