- DOE assures stable power in the remainder of 2026 and 2027
POWER supply across the Mindanao grid has returned to normal following the restoration of key generating units, signaling an end to the recent yellow and red alerts that triggered rotational brownouts in some parts of the island.
Speaking at the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, Sept. 16, Department of Energy (DOE) Mindanao Office Electric Power Industry Management Division chief Darwin P. Galang confirmed that three major generating units returned to full operation on Sept. 13 and 14.
“As of present, the Mindanao grid is under normal conditions and normal operations,” Galang told reporters.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 15, the Mindanao grid recorded an available capacity of 2,807 megawatts (MW) against a peak demand of 2,464 MW, leaving a healthy operating margin of over 340 MW.
What triggered the alerts?
The announcement comes after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Mindanao grid under repeated yellow and red alerts in late August and early September.
The grid disruptions stemmed from a combination of scheduled preventive maintenance work at large baseload power plants and sudden forced outages involving major coal-fired facilities—including units of GNPower Kauswagan (GNPK) and Therma South, Inc. (TSI)—which temporarily stripped over 800 MW of available capacity from the island’s power pool.
“During August, September, and even October, big power plants are scheduled for preventive maintenance,” Galang explained. “We experienced yellow alerts from August 10 up to September 12 due to outages of major coal power plants.”
Outlook for 2026 and 2027
To prevent further sudden shortfalls, joint inspection teams from the DOE and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) are currently conducting on-site technical audits of offline plants across Mindanao to validate reports, assist operators, and expedite immediate regulatory interventions.
Galang noted that remaining plants undergoing maintenance and forced repairs are targeted to come back online between late September and the first week of October, further expanding the island’s reserve cushion.
Looking ahead, the DOE official expressed confidence that the Mindanao grid will maintain a stable power supply for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027, provided no further unplanned outages hit major baseload power plants.
Mindanao’s highest recorded peak demand for 2026 stands at 2,775 MW, logged on May 12.
