World · Philippines Bureau
South Cotabato power utility urges conservation as grid faces supply crunch
The South Cotabato Electric Cooperative I has called on consumers to reduce electricity consumption as power supply shortages trigger alerts across the Mindanao grid. The situation raises the prospect of rotating blackouts in the region.
LSN Philippines ·
KORONADAL CITY — The South Cotabato Electric Cooperative I (SOCOTECO I) has appealed to residents and businesses in the province to cut power usage amid a significant shortage of electricity supply affecting Mindanao.
The cooperative issued the conservation request as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines placed the regional power system on red and yellow alert status, indicating critical supply-demand imbalances. The alerts signal an elevated risk of rotating brownouts, which could disrupt essential services and business operations across South Cotabato and neighboring areas.
Officials did not immediately specify the underlying causes of the supply shortage, though the Mindanao region periodically faces capacity constraints during peak demand periods. SOCOTECO I's call for voluntary conservation aims to help stabilize the grid and potentially avoid or minimize the duration of any scheduled power interruptions.
Consumers were advised to adopt energy-saving practices such as reducing air conditioning use, minimizing unnecessary appliance operation, and shifting non-essential activities to off-peak hours. The cooperative urged both residential and commercial customers to comply with the conservation measures to help ensure system stability during the shortage period.