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Energy News Compiled: October 11–16, 2026 — Meralco Bills Go Up, a ₱2.64B Refund, and a Shaky Visayas Grid
Here's this week's energy news from the DOE, ERC, NGCP and Meralco, all in one page.
Every item comes with its date and a link to the original source. Here are the top stories this week.
Video Credit: One News PH
This Week's Headlines at a Glance
The point of using dummy text for your paragraph is DOE — Department of Energy
Visayas Could See Red Alerts Until 2028, Energy Secretary Warns
October 12, 2026
Speaking at the Cebu Energy Summit, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the Visayas grid could keep facing red alerts through 2028. Without the roughly 300 MW of planned power barges, which the DOE wants in place by the first quarter of 2027, the region could see even more.
Other planned projects include about 250 MW of battery storage across Iloilo, Bohol, Leyte and Cebu, plus 500-MW gas-fired plants in Cebu and Panay, with deliveries projected for 2028 to 2030. Garin also asked consumers to cut their power use by "10 percent to 20 percent" to help ease the alerts.
Source: Inquirer · Daily Tribune
ERC — Energy Regulatory Commission
Meralco Ordered to Refund ₱2.64 Billion to Customers
October 12, 2026
The ERC ordered Meralco to refund another ₱2.64 billion to its customers over six months, covering January to June 2026. The refund averages ₱0.102 per kWh across customer types, and residential customers get a bigger ₱0.1733 per kWh.
It comes from a true-up showing Meralco collected more than its approved distribution rate allowed: an actual average of ₱1.5537 per kWh versus the approved ₱1.3522 per kWh. The ERC cut the refund period from the 12 months Meralco proposed down to six, so customers feel the relief sooner.
Source: Philstar · BusinessWorld
Video Credit: The Manila Time
Bill Relief: Power Firms Told to Share the Burden, Payment Deadlines Set
October 13, 2026
The ERC ordered generators, grid operators and other industry players to extend payment relief to distribution utilities. Qualified households using 200 kWh or less a month stay protected from disconnection through December and can pay their November and December bills in installments over at least three months.
To stay eligible, they need to settle unpaid May to July bills by November 26. For residential users above 200 kWh and non-residential customers, the deadlines are November 26 for May to July bills and December 26 for August to October bills.
Source: Daily Tribune
Provisional OK for a 44.72 MW Battery to Back Up the Visayas Grid
Reported October 13, 2026 · Approved October 9, 2026
The ERC gave provisional approval to a five-year ancillary services contract between NGCP and East Asia Utilities Corporation. The deal covers EAUC's 44.72 MW battery energy storage system in Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City, which will supply NGCP with up to 13 MW each of regulating and contingency reserves.
The Visayas currently has 40 MW of firm regulating reserves against a 67 MW requirement, and 67.3 MW of contingency reserves against 75 MW. The approved provisional rate is ₱5.28 per kWh, compared with a Reserve Market average of ₱21.
Source: Power Philippines
ERC Suspends Reserve Market Trading to Curb High Power Costs
October 14, 2026
The ERC suspended commercial dispatch and settlement in the Reserve Market until further notice, to rein in high ancillary service prices, especially in the Visayas. In 2025, Reserve Market prices added as much as ₱1.29 per kWh to power bills, compared with a maximum of ₱0.13 per kWh under ancillary service procurement agreements.
During the suspension, NGCP can only source reserves from existing contracts and has 30 days to submit an assessment of any uncovered requirements. Consumers pay for these services through transmission charges, which make up about 10 percent of electricity bills.
Source: Philstar · BusinessWorld
Size Caps on New Power Plants Lifted
October 15, 2026
Under Resolution No. 34, Series of 2026, the ERC lifted the capacity limits on new generating units. The old caps were 600 MW per unit in Luzon and 150 MW in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Developers can now build bigger plants based on demand, technology and grid capacity, but every proposed grid-connected facility still has to pass a System Impact Study by NGCP or its accredited providers.
The ERC cautioned that cheaper electricity isn't immediate or guaranteed, since it depends on project completion, grid readiness and market conditions.
Source: Daily Tribune
NGCP — National Grid Corporation of the Philippines
Visayas Grid Back on Yellow Alert
October 15, 2026
NGCP placed the Visayas grid on yellow alert from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the first yellow alert there in more than two weeks. Two large coal plants were unavailable and power imports from Mindanao were limited, leaving about 645.6 MW offline.
Available capacity was 2,557 MW against a peak demand of 2,479 MW, a margin of only about 78 MW. A yellow alert means supply still covers demand, but one plant breakdown could lead to brownouts.
Source: Inquirer
Video Credit: Radyo Agila
Second Straight Day of Yellow Alert in the Visayas
October 16, 2026
The Visayas grid went on yellow alert again on Friday, starting at 5 p.m. NGCP put available capacity at 2,545 MW against an expected peak demand of 2,471 MW, not enough to cover the required reserves.
The causes: forced outages at Panay Energy Development Corp. Unit 3 and Kepco SPC Power Corp. Unit 1, less power coming in from Mindanao because of an unplanned outage at FDC Misamis Power Corp. and maintenance at two other plants, plus 18 plants running below full capacity, which cuts 657.1 MW. A yellow alert doesn't automatically mean brownouts, but the margin is thin.
Source: The Chronicle · Remate
Meralco
Meralco's October Rate Goes Up by ₱0.3191 per kWh
October 13, 2026
Meralco's rate for a typical household rose by ₱0.3191 per kWh to ₱15.0615 per kWh this October, up from ₱14.7424 in September. For a home using 200 kWh, that's around ₱64 more on the bill. The main driver is a ₱0.4973 per kWh jump in the generation charge, from higher First Gas fuel costs, a weaker peso and higher spot market (WESM) charges. The universal charge for missionary electrification also went up by ₱0.0634 per kWh under an ERC directive.
EEC — Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Two Philippine Energy Efficiency Projects Place at the ASEAN Energy Awards
Reported October 14, 2026 · Ceremony October 7, 2026
At the ASEAN Energy Awards in Pasay City, Ayala North Exchange and Cebu Manila Water Development Inc. each took first runner-up honors in energy efficiency. Ayala North Exchange was recognized for building energy management, and Cebu Manila Water Development for cutting electricity use in its Cebu water operations. Other Philippine winners included Acciona.org Foundation Philippines' "Light at Home" solar home systems in Palawan, which won the Off-Grid – Power category.
Source: Power Philippines
This weekly energy news roundup is brought to you by Lumenova Philippines — keeping Filipino homes and businesses updated on power, rates, and renewable energy.
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