Senate President Win Gatchalian urged the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and distribution utilities (DUs) across the country to ensure grid resiliency and preparedness for inclement weather conditions.
The Senate President made the call amid repeated grid strain, highlighted by persistent red and yellow alerts during the recent southwest monsoon due to plant outages and high system demand.
“Preparedness must go beyond response. Our power infrastructure must be resilient enough to withstand extreme weather and minimize prolonged outages,” he said.
Gatchalian cited the Electric Cooperatives Emergency Resiliency Fund (ECERF) Act, which he authored, as an example of a measure requiring electric cooperatives to implement resiliency plans to prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies.
The Senate President noted that reliable electricity during adverse weather is crucial to ensure the continued operations of health facilities; schools; critical infrastructure and other essential facilities; as well as businesses, particularly micro and small enterprises such as convenience stores, small medical clinics, and local bakeries.
He emphasized that the NGCP and distribution utilities should ensure they are well-equipped to repair and rehabilitate facilities that may incur damage from heavy downpours, flooding, and strong winds usually experienced during typhoon season.
Gatchalian Hinimok ang NGCP, DUs na Panatilihing Handa, Matatag ang Grid sa Gitna ng Masamang Panahon
Hinimok ni Senate President Win Gatchalian ang National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) at ang mga distribution utility (DU) sa buong bansa na tiyakin ang katatagan at kahandaan ng power grid para sa mga masasamang lagay ng panahon.
Ang panawagan ng Senate President ay kasunod ng paulit-ulit na pagkakaproblema ng grid, at binigyang-diin ang patuloy na mga red at yellow alert nitong nakaraang mga habagat dahil sa pagkasira ng mga planta at mataas na demand sa kuyente.
“Hindi dapat hanggang pagtugon lamang ang ating paghahanda. Kailangang sapat ang katatagan ng ating power infrastructure para makayanan ang matitinding lagay ng panahon at maiwasan ang matagalang pagkawala ng kuryente,” aniya.
Binanggit ni Gatchalian ang Electric Cooperatives Emergency Resiliency Fund (ECERF) Act, na kanyang iniakda, bilang halimbawa ng isang panukalang nag-aatas sa mga kooperatiba ng kuryente na magpatupad ng mga plano para sa katatagan upang maging handa at makatugon sa mga sakuna at emergency.
Sinabi rin ni Gatchalian na ang maaasahang kuryente sa panahon ng masamang panahon ay napakahalaga upang matiyak ang patuloy na operasyon ng mga health facilities; mga paaralan; kritikal na imprastraktura; at iba pang mahahalagang pasilidad; pati na rin ang mga negosyo, lalo na ang mga maliliit na tulad ng mga tindahan, maliliit na klinika, at mga panaderya.
Dapat aniyang tiyakin ng NGCP at ng distribution utilities na handa sila at may sapat na kagamitan para agad na maayos at maibalik ang mga pasilidad na maaaring masira dahil sa malalakas na ulan, pagbaha, at malalakas na hangin na karaniwang nararanasan tuwing panahon ng bagyo.
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Photo by Mark Cayabyab / OS WIN GATCHALIAN
