DOE admits no quick fix

DOE Secretary Sharon Garin said the power supply constraints in the Visayas grid are expected to persist, although temporary interventions are now being implemented amid what she described as a structural mismatch between power generation and transmission infrastructure development.

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Speaking during a virtual press conference on Monday, June 1, Garin said the situation in the Visayas remains urgent due to recurring supply shortages.

“There is real urgency in the Visayas. That is why we are fast-tracking all necessary interventions,” Garin said, noting that immediate measures are being undertaken to stabilize supply, particularly in areas experiencing prolonged outages.

However, Garin acknowledged that resolving the Visayas power crisis will take time, explaining that the timelines for constructing power plants and expanding transmission infrastructure do not always align.

She said some generating facilities require three years to complete, while others take five years, with transmission upgrades and grid integration often lagging behind, resulting in persistent supply gaps.

“Because of this, we will be deploying temporary energy supply solutions to ensure that there will be reserve capacity for the Visayas for the next one to two years,” Garin said.

She added that the DOE aims to integrate additional power capacity into the Visayas grid within the month, although long-term stability will still depend on sustained infrastructure expansion and coordinated planning.

“For the Visayas, the challenge is expected to be more prolonged due to the mismatch in timelines between power plant completion and transmission infrastructure development. Some power plants take five years to complete, while others take three years, so their schedules do not always align,” she added.