Rolling Blackouts Hit Parts of Cebu Amid Visayas Grid Red Alert
Parts of Cebu experienced one-hour rotational brownouts on May 13, 2026, after the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Visayas Grid under a Red Alert due to critical power supply shortages. Visayan Electric implemented these emergency load management measures in Cebu City, Mandaue City, Naga City, and San Fernando to prevent a system-wide collapse. The crisis stemmed from a generation deficiency caused by multiple plant outages, resulting in an 866-megawatt capacity loss. Available capacity dropped to 2,568 megawatts against a peak demand of 2,413 megawatts, leaving insufficient operating reserves. NGCP officials clarified that transmission facilities remained operational, identifying power generation as the core issue. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin ordered immediate resolutions for offline plants, while the Department of Energy urged conservation. The situation highlights interconnected supply risks, as the Visayas Grid draws power from Luzon. Distribution utilities were directed to implement manual load drops fairly across affected areas, with warnings that critical conditions may persist during peak hours between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
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