Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. underscored the need for backup power sources and timely repair and restoration of power plants as the province prepares for higher electricity demand during El Niño.

Defensor met with power industry players, including the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), power generators and distribution utilities, to discuss the energy situation in the Visayas.

“We try to understand so we will know what to do. Currently, we are on yellow and red alert because power is not sufficient; we have plants that are down,” he said in an interview.

Defensor said the plants are expected to be back online by October once repairs are completed.

The insufficient reserve in the Visayas also calls for backup supply from Luzon, although the NGCP submarine cable can accommodate only 250 megawatts (MW), the governor said.

In the pipeline is the More Power Barge, which has a capacity of about 80 MW and is expected to come online in the second quarter of 2027. Additional capacity from the coal-fired power plant in Concepcion, Iloilo, is expected in 2028.

At the local level, Defensor said the province could explore renewable energy sources, including household solar power.

“We can adjust where it is doable, like solar panels at the capitol and hospitals,” he said.

Defensor assured that critical services, particularly hospitals, should not be affected by power interruptions. He said these facilities are equipped with generators and solar panels with battery storage.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas said that the city government is preparing a study on the economic impact of the ongoing brownouts.

The study will be submitted to the Department of Energy and the Office of the President to seek possible interventions.

Treñas said the local government is concerned not only about rotational brownouts but also rising fuel prices, which are affecting businesses, the transport sector, fisherfolk and micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo Inc. (FCCCII) also expressed “serious concern” Tuesday over recurring yellow and red alerts affecting the Visayas grid.

The resulting manual load dropping and rotational power interruptions are disrupting businesses and increasing operating costs in Iloilo City, the group said.

“Businesses are paying more for electricity while also carrying the cost of repeated interruptions. This threatens productivity, employment, investment, and consumer prices,” FCCCII president Terence Uygongco said in a statement.

The business group called on energy agencies, power-sector stakeholders and local leaders to restore unavailable generating units without delay, provide timely and transparent outage advisories, strengthen generation and transmission capacity, and consider measures to protect businesses and consumers from exceptional power-cost increases.

“Iloilo needs a clear recovery plan with firm timelines and accountable parties. Reliable and affordable electricity is essential to protecting local businesses, jobs, investments and the city’s continued economic growth,” the statement said.PNA