The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday, Jan. 4, said it needed more data to conclude the main cause behind the massive shutdown of six power plants in Panay Island that led to a massive blackout in some parts of Western Visayas.

“[O]bviously there is something wrong with the system whether it’s on the part of the distribution, transmission, or generation,” DOE Undersecretary Sharon Garin said in an interview with DZRH.

Garin added that the “main player” behind the power plant shutdown probe is the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) which presented recommendations to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) when the same power outage in the area occurred last April.

“As far as we can see for today, medyo pareho yung nangyayari eh so pag nag-shutdown yung isa, nagdo-domino siya. Hindi lang yan siguro isolated na problema lang ng isang generator or ng isang planta. Kung apektado yung buong isla medyo system-wide na yan. Pero ayokong mag-conclude pa hanggang maimbestigahan nang maayos ng ERC,” she said.

When asked for information regarding the incident after NGCP claimed to have no idea behind the shutdown of major power plants in Panay, Garin asked if the agency used ERC’s recommendations.

“Well, dapat siguro alam na ‘yan ng NGCP kasi nangyari na nga dati. Kung hindi pa nila alam edi wala yung ginawa diba? So meron pong mga findings yung ERC last time nung April at may mga recommendations po [...] Ang aming gustong tingnan eh ginawa ba ‘tong mga recommendations na ‘to? Kasi yun yung mga diagnosis ng ERC at that time,” the energy undersecretary said.

“First stage po kailangan tingnan kung kinorrect na ba itong mga stakeholders, especially NGCP, kung ano yung nakitang mali sa ginagawa kaya nag-cause ng shutdown,” she added.