THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has today bolstered its readiness for large-scale power outages through its annual Blackout Drills, announced Mae Roselle L. Curiano, Government Relations and Regional Affairs Officer of the Public Relations Department.
The drills, conducted separately for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, aim to synchronize contingency responses across the energy sector, especially among generation plants.
Under the theme “Blackout Readiness: Strengthening Response Capabilities,” the exercise included both tabletop discussions and practical simulation exercises.
Curiano noted that NGCP emphasizes these drills to evaluate communication protocols, response times, and stakeholder coordination.
The process also helps identify and address potential weaknesses proactively.
The tabletop sessions covered topics such as black start services, blackout restoration procedures, and area-specific restoration strategies.
These discussions were followed by a simulation drill a week later to replicate an actual blackout scenario.
Participants included representatives from generation and distribution sectors, the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation,
National Power Corporation (NPC), National Transmission Corporation, Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, Philippine Electricity Market Corporation,
Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, Philippine Independent Power Producers Association Inc, and the National Electrification Administration.
Curiano added that NGCP’s primary role is to continuously improve the efficiency of the country’s power transmission network, particularly through its System Operations team.
