National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s transmission operator, said it is prepared to handle 10,260 megawatts (MW) of new power plant capacity.
NGCP said that for Luzon, it has a total transmission capacity of 24,641 MW, compared with the existing grid-connected power plant dependable capacity of 18,068 MW, leaving 6,573 MW of available transmission capacity.
It said that in the Visayas, it has 2,281 MW of available transmission capacity, with a total transmission capacity of 5,459 MW against an existing dependable capacity of 3,178 MW.
Mindanao’s available transmission capacity is 1,406 MW, with a total transmission capacity of 4,697 MW.
NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Perez-Alabanza reiterated that the March 5, 2025, yellow alerts were “generation driven.”
A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient to meet generation’s contingency requirement, risking grid stability with available contingency reserves falling below the required operating margin.
“We have no control over generation. Our readiness is to ensure our lines do not fail,” Alabanza said.
She said that like any equipment, generation or transmission, unplanned shutdowns or failures can occur. “Our operations and maintenance [O&M] teams are prepared for rapid dispatch in case of line repairs,” she said.
As system operator, NGCP is also ready to reroute power in case of transmission failures.
Abalanza said while NGCP could manage transmission failures, historical data shows most alert statuses are due to unplanned generator maintenance, which is beyond the grid’s control.