Hontiveros wants 'extensive' Senate probe of Panay blackout, amid reports of NGCP's inaction, lack of updates

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday filed a Senate resolution calling for an "extensive" inquiry into the recent power outage which affected households throughout Panay and Guimaras, amid reports of inaction and lack of real-time information from grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) during the incident.

In proposed Senate Resolution No. 890, Hontiveros said that a 'deeper and more extensive' investigation is needed to address all factors behind the Panay blackout last January 2, which disrupted the daily lives of people in five provinces, caused substantial financial losses for businesses, and impeded the operation of government offices, schools, and hospitals.

"Considering that past investigations and probes have not yielded palpable results, an even more comprehensive, thorough, and extensive examination needs to be conducted, including a review of the concession agreement between the National Transmission Corporation and the NGCP, as well as NGCP's 25-year legislative franchise itself," her resolution stated.

"We must urgently review and strengthen the effectiveness of all protocols, such as DOE's mechanisms during incidents like simultaneous and unplanned power plant shutdowns. NGCP claims that its decision to take no action like manual load dropping during the blackout was according to 'standard protocols.' Standard procedure ba talaga na magsawalang kibo kapag may krisis gaya ng blackout?," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros, who hails from Panay, noted that Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Raphael Lotilla has blamed NGCP for the power outage, since the "company failed to prevent the system-wide power shutdown by proactively calling on the distribution utilities and electric cooperatives in Panay to reduce their load and avoid a sub-system-wide collapse."

She also questioned the slow and inadequate real-time updates to energy stakeholders and the public amid the power outage. Real time monitoring of the Visayas grid using the NGCP's own Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, Hontiveros said, should have allowed it to provide information and act immediately during the critical 2-hour period between the disruption of PEDC Unit 1, and the subsequent shutdown by other power plants.

"Nakakaawa yung mga kasimanwa natin na naiwang nangangapa sa dilim dahil sa blackout, at dahil din sa kawalan ng impormasyon. Why was there no real-time information from NGCP when it had all the tools to provide it? Pinagtiis na naman tayong mga Pilipino sa paulit-ulit na palpak na serbisyo," Hontiveros said.

The senator then said that should the Senate's investigation reveal gross negligence and incompetence in the system operations of NGCP, then "Congress should commence a review of the NGCP's concession agreement and ultimately, its 25-year legislative franchise."

"Our nation's grid operator cannot and should not be remiss in its obligation to transmit electricity to where it is needed throughout the country. Tandaan natin na hindi lang abala ang dulot ng mga blackout - malaki ang epekto nito sa kabuhayan, kaligtasan at kalusugan ng mga Pilipino," she concluded.