DOE projects Luzon Grid to be placed under Yellow Alert 12 times in 2023

The Luzon Grid is expected to be placed under yellow alert status a dozen times this year starting in March when demand is projected to pick up, the Department of Energy (DOE) said Monday.

According to Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevarra, while the Luzon Grid is not projected to be placed under red alert status this year, it is expected to be placed under yellow alert 12 times.

The yellow alert status is expected to be implemented during the year’s week 11 in March, weeks 13 and 17 in April, all weeks of May, weeks 22 and 23 in June, week 35 in September, week 42 in October, and week 47 in November.

A red alert indicates that there are no ancillary services or a generation deficiency exists, while a yellow alert indicates that the grid has thin reserves based on supply and demand.

“Sana wala tayong sudden outage because if we have, let’s say, one plant na biglang nasara, magkaka-red alert tayo don ‘pag nagkataon,” Guevarra said in a virtual briefing.

(Hopefully we do not have any sudden outage because if we have, let’s say, one plant that suddenly shuts down, we will have a red alert.)

Guevarra said the current projections would not have been made if the ongoing renewable energy projects, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, were completed on time.

“Kung hindi tayo nagkapandemic, online na ‘yung mga renewable energy sources natin. When we checked ‘yung mga renewable energy generators, talagang bumagal talaga ‘yung kanilang pagbuo at pagpapatakbo,” she said.

“Maybe dapat sana this year okay na tayo. Another two years, makakahabol na ‘yung construction ng mga renewable energy (projects),” she added.

(If not for the pandemic, our renewable energy sources would already be online. When we checked the renewable energy generators, their development really slowed down… Maybe we should have been okay this year. Another two years and we will be able to catch up on the renewable energy projects.)

Guevarra said the Visayas area is expected to be placed under yellow alert five times in the latter half of the year, while there are no alert status projections for the Mindanao area so far.

Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said that while supply side issues are being addressed, demand side measures such as energy efficiency should be taken as less supply would be needed.

“Hindi natin dapat tignan ‘yung demand side management na parang panakip butas lamang. Dapat ito ay nagiging ano na, natural element or embedded already in our entire management system,” he said.

“‘Yung pagpasok ng mga planta at pagpapatayo ng mga planta takes time. Hindi ito maaring gawin overnight, so 'yun ang ina-address natin sa medium term to long term,” he added.

(We should not look at demand side management as a cover. This should already be a natural element or embedded already in our entire management system… The entry and construction of plants take time. This cannot be done overnight, so this is what we are addressing in the medium term to long term.)—AOL, GMA Integrated News