The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has placed the Luzon grid on red alert from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026, due to a projected power shortfall of nearly 100 MW. Learn why multiple power plants on forced outage and derated capacities are straining supply and what yellow alert periods mean for consumers. 
NATION

NGCP places Luzon grid on red alert Thursday afternoon

Jonas Reyes

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) warned that the Luzon grid will be placed under red alert status from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 14 May 2026.

In an advisory issued Thursday, the NGCP said the Luzon grid will also be under yellow alert status from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The agency said the available capacity of the Luzon grid is 12,479 megawatts (MW), while peak demand is projected to reach 12,595 MW, resulting in a shortfall of nearly 100 MW.

“Seventeen plants are on forced outage since March 2026, three since 2025, two since 2024, and one plant since 2019, while 14 plants are running on derated capacities, for a total of 4,242.5 MW unavailable to the grid,” the NGCP said.

The NGCP explained that a red alert status is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement, while a yellow alert status is declared when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the grid’s contingency requirement.