The Department of Energy (DOE) has ordered government agencies to conserve energy to ensure a sufficient supply of petroleum products amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis. 

The DOE, acting as Chair of the Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee (IAEECC) has issued the “Mandatory Implementation of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs and the Strict Observance of the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) Guidelines” to concerned government agencies on March 14. 

“We issued this advisory to highlight the role of energy efficiency and conservation in ensuring the sufficiency of petroleum products’ supply amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis,” Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi said in a statement.

With the strict implementation of the GEMP, the government would save ten percent of electricity and fuel consumption which could help mitigate the impacts of the global conflict, and at the same time, secure power supply during the summer season, which covers the national and local elections. 

According to the DOE Energy Utilization Management Bureau said that the implementation of the GEMP could reduce electricity demand in the Luzon Grid by up to 24 megawatts, which is equivalent to Php840 million – the cost of establishing a diesel power plant. 

In January, prior to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the DOE said that the week of the presidential elections may be sandwiched by Yellow and Red Alerts, especially in the Luzon Grid, if power plants go on forced outages. 

Power generators have also pointed out that the continuous rise of international coal prices could affect local electricity rates by Php9 per kilowatt-hour.