The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has cried foul over claims that it is to blame for the massive power outage in Western Visayas.
In a statement, the country’s sole power grid operator refuted allegations that it failed in its obligation to stabilize the transmission system and it was less than transparent in providing information to the public.
“We provide regular updates to all stakeholders, including the media and local government units (LGUs), through print, radio, broadcast, social media, and text blasts,” it explained.
The power outage, which lasted for four days, was mainly due to the “unplanned shutdowns of power generators,” according to NGCP.
“As the transmission service provider, NGCP can only give an overview of the current supply and demand situation and endeavor to dispatch any and all available power. It cannot intervene on matters concerning power generation,” it said.
NGCP was “alarmed” that “policymakers immediately make conclusions based on assumptions contrary to fact.”
“We are firm in our position that the system prior to the multiple tripping [at 2:19 p.m. on Jan. 2] was normal, and our actions were undertaken within protocols. Any contrary statement is speculative,” it said.
“Rather than using NGCP as a scapegoat, we urge policymakers to be objective in their search for facts and not coddle certain sectors. This is not a time to push personal or political agendas, but a time for honest-to-goodness solution finding,” the grid operator added.
To resolve the persistent power supply issues in the region, NGCP reiterated its call for a comprehensive industry-wide approach
“With this, NGCP assures our stakeholders that we will continue to work closely with concerned government agencies and LGUs to expedite the resolution of this issue,” it said.IMT
