NGCP defends actions during Panay blackout

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) defended its actions during a Senate investigation into the January 2 blackout in Panay, stating that it followed normal protocols under the Philippine Grid Code.

Assistant Vice President Clark Agustin said the grid was stable and within normal limits between 12:06 PM and 2:19 PM when two power plants shut down, despite Senator Sherwin Gatchalian arguing that the situation was no longer in a 'normal' state due to negative margin after one plant tripped.

Senator Raffy Tulfo criticized NGCP's lack of preventive measures and questioned whether the situation was truly normal given the tripping events, while Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chair Mona Dimalanta acknowledged that NGCP could have taken manual corrective actions but did not do so, leading to calls for a review of NGCP’s legislative franchise.

Senators stressed that NGCP's claim of 'normal' conditions is misleading and emphasized the need for clearer protocols under the Grid Code to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Local officials from Western Visayas urged accountability from NGCP for billions of economic losses during the blackout, with Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas urging punishment for those responsible and Guimaras Governor JC Rahman Nava calling for a review of 'swinging reserves' billed to consumers.