The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has suspended operations of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) in Leyte-Samar and Bohol after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake caused a total power failure in the Visayas sub-grids early Wednesday.

The 6.9-magnitude quake struck Bogo City, Cebu, just past midnight on October 1. Minutes later, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported that the two sub-grids had gone offline. By 12:32 A.M., power demand stood at 1,121.7 megawatts against a supply of only 1,117.2 MW, prompting the ERC to act.

Market rules allow regulators to freeze trading when a grid runs without adequate generating capacity. The ERC said the situation in Leyte-Samar and Bohol met the conditions for suspension.

The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) and NGCP were instructed to manage grid operations while the spot market remains suspended. Trading will only resume once the ERC issues a formal notice.

The regulator assured the public that it is monitoring the Visayas power system to maintain stability and protect electricity consumers during the outage.

The disruption highlights the risks faced by island power systems during natural disasters, with assessments ongoing to determine the extent of the damage and how quickly normal operations can resume.

What measures do you think can strengthen grid resilience?

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