DOE: 62.69 MW saved during Earth Hour

The country was able to save 62.69 megawatts (MW) of power in observance of Earth Hour, a one-hour switch-off to help mitigate the effects of climate change, the Department of Energy (DOE) said. 

Data from the DOE said that Luzon was able to save 33.29 MW, followed by Mindanao with 20.5 MW, and Visayas with 8.9 MW. 

The reduction in power demand during the Earth Hour signifies that the consuming public can generate a great impact on daily energy consumption, the DOE said. 

“This also illustrates how purposeful behavior could achieve something big and worthy. Imagine when individuals, businesses, government, and communities unite not only during Earth Hour but in making energy conservation their everyday way of life, the overall impact would be even much bigger,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said in a statement. 

In 2022, DOE reported that 65.32 megawatts (MW) were saved across the country during Earth Hour. 35.26 MW were saved in Luzon, 15.3 MW in Mindanao, and 14.76 MW in Visayas. 

“Let us help sustain the momentum by simply consistently practicing energy conservation measures at home, offices, communities, and businesses from switching off non-essential lights to choosing more energy-efficient appliances, equipment, and machines. These are simple yet valuable actions that we can do easily not only for our planet but more especially during periods of high demand such as this summer season,” Lotilla said. 

The Luzon Grid may face 12 yellow alerts, especially during the summer months, should power plants go into forced outages.