NGCP puts Luzon grid on red alert after earthquake swarm

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) raised the power supply status to red alert over the Luzon Grid as of 1:00 p.m. Monday, after a swarm of quakes that hit Batangas province over the weekend.

In a briefing in Taguig City, Department of Energy (DOE) Spokesperson Felix Fuentebella said the power reserves are at critical levels, prompting the NGCP to red flag the situation

"Nawalan tayo ng 2,584 megawatt hours of power supply capacity, kung saan 1,647 megawatt hours and nawala dahil sa earthquake," he said.

Among the power plants affected by the earthquake swarm Saturday afternoon are Avion Unit 2, San Gabriel and San Lorenzo Units 1 and 2.

Fuentebella said the power supply will increase within the day more power plants go back online within the next hours.

"Wala pa silang binibigay or sinasubmit sa system operator. Dinidetalye din natin bakit hindi pa sila nakakabalik," Fuentebella said.

While the red alert status is expected to be lifted and downgraded to yellow alert, the yellow alert status may last until Wednesday.

"So far, still Yellow Alert... Assuming pare-pareho and nothing changes," he said.

The earthquakes that struck on Saturday included a magnitude 6.0 temblor.

The local government of Mabini in Batangas was compelled to declare a state of calamity at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, with more than 5,000 people taking shelter in evacuation centers in the province. — VDS, GMA News