A lawmaker on Friday urged the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to ensure that generation companies adhere to preventive maintenance schedules to prevent potential power supply disruptions, especially with the anticipated increase in demand during the summer months.

Senator Win Gatchalian, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy, made the call following a warning from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) that unplanned plant outages could threaten the power supply during the summer months.

"It is critical that generation companies strictly follow maintenance schedules to ensure the reliability of the power supply and prevent costly downtimes," he said.

Gatchalian stressed that generation companies should conduct regular maintenance to address potential issues and maximize power generation output to prevent possible outages.

"Ang kawalan ng kuryente, lalo na tuwing tag-init, ay nagdudulot ng malawakang epekto sa mga pamilya, negosyo, at buong komunidad (Power outages, especially during the summer, have a widespread impact on families, businesses, and entire communities)," he lamented. 

Gatchalian suggested the DOE should increase information, education, and communication on energy efficiency and conservation among consumers.

Such initiatives, he added, should focus on reducing overall energy consumption, particularly in high-demand areas like Metro Manila.

Gatchalian pointed out that the implementation of efficiency and conservation measures is expected to significantly reduce energy consumption, help ensure a sufficient power supply, and generate savings for consumers.