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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider NGCP urges police to probe sabotage after peak power line cuts out

NGCP urges police to probe sabotage after peak power line cuts out

Published May 25, 2026 05:27 pm
NGCP formally requested the PNP’s assistance following inspections that suggest deliberate human intervention on the line damage.
NGCP formally requested the PNP’s assistance following inspections that suggest deliberate human intervention on the line damage.
National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) requested a formal police investigation into a suspected act of sabotage that severed a critical 500-kilovolt transmission line and deepened the power shortage across the country.
The grid operator sent a letter dated May 15 to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. and Batangas City Police Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Lira A. Morello detailing the incident, according to a company statement.
The Ilijan-Tayabas transmission line tripped at approximately 6:30 a.m. on May 13 after a conductor snapped between two towers in Barangay Haligue Silangan, Batangas City.
The transmission failure immediately cut roughly 1,700 megawatts of electricity supplied by nearby power plants to the Luzon grid. The sudden deficit exacerbated thin generation capacity across the country, forcing the grid operator to declare red and yellow alerts for both the Luzon and Visayas networks during peak demand hours. Red alerts indicate an insufficient supply to meet demand, often resulting in rolling blackouts, while yellow alerts signal that reserves have fallen below safety margins.
Engineers conducting an immediate inspection of the damaged infrastructure determined the breakage was inconsistent with standard wear and tear or environmental factors. The severance occurred within the conductor span between spacers and showed distinct physical characteristics suggesting deliberate human intervention, the company said. Regular maintenance inspections conducted before the incident had revealed no technical defects or abnormalities that could have triggered the snap.
The privately backed company, which operates the state-owned power grid, said the circumstances made a law enforcement inquiry necessary to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation. Safeguarding the integrity and security of the transmission network remains vital to maintaining nationwide power reliability, the company added.
Grid officials committed to providing police investigators with full cooperation and all relevant technical data. The incident underscores growing vulnerabilities for the Southeast Asian nation's critical infrastructure as an extended period of high economic activity and elevated seasonal temperatures continue to strain the domestic power supply.

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National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)
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