CEBU CITY — Gov. Pamela Baricuatro convened energy officials, grid operators, and distribution utilities on September 4, 2026, for a press briefing at the Provincial Capitol. The urgent meeting addressed the continuing rotational brownouts affecting the province and explored measures to stabilize its power supply.
A Growing Crisis
Cebu's daily peak demand has reached approximately 1,300 megawatts, representing half of the Visayas' total demand of around 2,600 megawatts. However, power plants within the province produce only about 900 megawatts. This leaves Cebu importing at least 300 megawatts daily from Mindanao and neighboring provinces.
NGCP Assistant Vice President Engr. Neil Modena explained that distribution utilities are implementing manual load dropping. This results in rotational brownouts when electricity demand exceeds available supply. The shortage is largely due to major power plants undergoing planned or forced outages.
Protecting Essential Services
While residential and commercial sectors face interruptions, authorities are protecting critical infrastructure. Utility providers are intentionally excluding hospital feeders from load-dropping protocols. This ensures that healthcare services remain operational during brownouts.
The manual load dropping is a controlled measure to prevent a total blackout. A complete grid collapse could take days to restore and cause widespread economic disruption. The controlled brownouts are a painful but necessary safeguard for the local economy.
Impact on Daily Life
Residents and local businesses are enduring one- to 2.5-hour rotational brownouts. These interruptions affect daily routines, work schedules, and water supply. Power interruptions often cause water pumping stations to go offline temporarily, leading to low water pressure or dry taps.
The provincial government has launched the "Takna Pagpawong sa Suga" program under Executive Order No. 47. This initiative requires all local government offices to limit non-essential power use and dim decorative lighting every Monday. Citizens are urged to curb electricity consumption during peak hours.
A Push for Self-Sufficiency
Governor Baricuatro asked the Department of Energy's support to facilitate investments in power-generation projects. One initiative involves an Indonesian-based energy company seeking to explore the Alegria Oil and Gas Field. This could eventually provide a local energy source.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Ace Durano provided an update on Acciona's planned 150-megawatt solar power plant in Daanbantayan. Site preparations have begun, with a target to come online by late 2027 or early 2028. The solar plant is expected to help augment Cebu's power supply.
Looking Ahead
Governor Baricuatro is planning an energy summit on October 7. The summit aims to tackle Cebu's power problem and attract direct energy investments. The goal is to make the province self-sufficient in power generation.
In the meantime, Cebuanos are advised to prepare for rotational brownouts. Keeping emergency lights, flashlights, and power banks charged is recommended. Practicing energy conservation during peak hours will help stabilize the grid.
