The Department of Energy should convene all power operators to plan a contingency measure in addressing the impacts of the ongoing El Niño phenomenon on the country's hydroelectric power plants, Senator Win Gatchalian said Monday. 

“This problem should have been anticipated and planned for months ago as El Niño was already forecasted to come this year,” Gatchalian said in response to the DOE’s recent warning that the Luzon's power grid may fall under a "Yellow Alert"  in the coming months due to El Niño. 

“Having said that, DOE should immediately form an El Niño task force to convene all power plants and utilities to plan for contingency measures to include the Interruptible Load Program and no maintenance of power plants during summer,” he added.

Gatchalian said the problem can only be solved when all power plants are up and running at full capacity. 

Moreover, he emphasized that the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines should fully contract ancillary reserves (AS) “as this is also another solution to avoid massive blackouts.”

In a statement earlier, the DOE said the electricity supply remains sufficient amid the onslaught of El Niño and the approaching summer months. 

“The summer period exerts significant pressure on electricity demand due to increased cooling needs, leading to peak demand shifts in consumption and infrastructure strain,” Energy chief Raphael P.M. Lotilla said. 

Lotilla said the DOE is closely coordinating with all the stakeholders “to carefully manage and plan for the effects of the summer period and the ongoing El Niño to ensure reliable and sustainable electricity supply at the same time we request the support of everyone during this challenging period by being conscious in our use of electricity.”