The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has once again conducted its Annual Blackout Drills to enhance the power grid’s readiness in the event of large-scale outages or system disturbances.
Held separately for the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids, the drills are designed to align the contingency responses of key players in the energy sector, especially power generation plants.
With the theme “Blackout Readiness: Strengthening Response Capabilities,” the activity combined tabletop discussions with practical simulation exercises aimed at testing and improving coordination, communication protocols, and overall response time during blackouts.
“Through these drills, NGCP can evaluate communication protocols, assess response times, and strengthen coordination efforts. We are able to identify weaknesses, if any, and address them proactively, in coordination with our partner stakeholders,” the NGCP said in a statement.
Tabletop sessions covered a wide range of topics including black start services, actual restoration experiences, blackout restoration procedures, and area-specific restoration routes. A week after the tabletop discussions, a full-scale simulation was conducted to replicate a blackout scenario and test real-time response.
The drill brought together stakeholders from across the power industry, including representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM), National Power Corporation (NPC), National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC), Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP), Philippine Independent Power Producers Association Inc. (PIPPA), and the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
As the country’s transmission system operator, NGCP continues to prioritize the enhancement of its operational capabilities, especially in system operations, to ensure a more resilient and reliable power grid.
