The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) officially lifted red and yellow alerts in Luzon and Visayas on Saturday, May 16, 2026, after three days of warnings due to power supply issues.
Power Supply Stabilizes Amid Ongoing Heat Wave
Barring any unexpected increase in demand or additional unplanned outages of power facilities, the power situation for this weekend is expected to remain stable.
NGCP Advisory
The NGCP reported that Luzon had a surplus capacity of 3,692 megawatts (MW), while Visayas had a slimmer surplus of 429 MW. This surplus allows Luzon to assist Visayas by exporting power.
The alerts were prompted by the tripping of two transmission lines amidst peak demand, which surged due to extreme summer temperatures. In Metro Manila, the heat index reached between 42 and 44 degrees Celsius.
As of Saturday morning, three power plants returned to full capacity, contributing an additional 1,510 MW to the Luzon grid, further stabilizing the situation.
The Department of Energy has called for an incident report from the NGCP regarding the previous outages that affected millions of consumers. This request follows the back-to-back tripping of critical transmission lines at the Ilijan power complex.
Historically, the Philippines has faced similar challenges during summer months, when increased demand often leads to alerts and outages. The current situation underscores the need for a more resilient energy infrastructure.