Senate probe set as power rates doubled during yellow, red alerts

Sen. Raffy Tulfo | PHOTO: Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Raffy Tulfo has formally sought a Senate investigation of what he said was “alarming” power supply issues that led to electricity rates doubling during red and yellow alerts.

A public hearing on this was set for May 6.

Tulfo, chair of the chamber’s committee on energy, filed Senate Resolution No. 1008 following consecutive declarations of red and yellow alerts in the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids.

“It is important to determine the cause of the insufficiency of power supply to meet consumer demand, including the cause of power plant outages and unscheduled shutdowns,” said Tulfo in a statement on Friday (April 26).

Citing data from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, Tulfo said placing both Luzon and Visayas grids on yellow and red alerts has caused a spike in electricity market prices.

He said the power supply shortage increased electricity costs in the Luzon grid to P13.39 pesos per kilowatt hour from around P5.55 per kwh. In the Visayas, the situation raised power rates in the market from P5.73 per kwh to P14.64 per kwh.

These increases should not burden “innocent consumers,” the senator said.

Aside from Tulfo, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Francis Escudero also questioned the “unjustified” power outages and higher electric bills that coincided with these.

READ: More senators seek probe, penalty for ‘unjustified’ power outages