The Department of Energy (DOE) is working with power grid operators and generation companies to restore electricity in Southern Mindanao after a major earthquake disrupted operations at power plants and severed transmission lines.

Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said in a media briefing that the agency is prioritizing the safe and immediate return of electricity to the affected areas under directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Garin also reassured the public that local fuel supplies remain stable and sufficient, with no reported disruptions to the downstream oil supply chain and ample inventory to meet current demand.

The government is coordinating recovery efforts alongside the National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation, National Transmission Corp., and various private generation companies and electric cooperatives.

While seven power plants initially went offline following the seismic event, most are slowly resuming operations. Only two major plants remain offline out of the four that experienced emergency shutdowns.

Energy Undersecretary Mario Marasigan noted that the power plant outages were primarily triggered by the automatic activation of safety protection systems, which are designed to isolate facilities during earthquakes to prevent severe infrastructure damage.

The sudden automatic shutdowns temporarily pulled 835 megawatts of generating capacity off the Mindanao grid.

Restoration work has progressed rapidly. Aboitiz Power Corp.’s Therma South Unit 2 was restored to its full 150-megawatt capacity on the day of the earthquake. Alsons Power Group’s Sarangani Energy Corp. Units 1 and 2, which provide 118.5 megawatts each, are scheduled to return to service tomorrow. San Miguel Global Power’s SMC Malita Unit 1 is also targeted for restoration tomorrow, though Unit 2 requires further technical assessment, with full restoration projected by June 13.

Despite the volume of offline capacity, Marasigan said there has been no significant impact on the wholesale electricity spot market. According to the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, the Mindanao grid has remained under normal operating conditions, while the Luzon and Visayas grids continue to run without interruption.

On the distribution side, two electric cooperatives and one private distribution utility reported partial interruptions, though officials clarified that no broad areas are under a total blackout. Most electricity services were restored overnight.

The downstream oil sector has also shown resilience. Garin reported that the vast majority of gasoline stations in Southern Mindanao remain fully operational. Only 47 retail stations are temporarily closed, representing a small fraction of the region's retail network, while bulk fuel terminals and storage depots continue normal operations with no critical damage reported.

Separately, the energy department announced steps to resolve power supply challenges in the island province of Catanduanes. Generator sets supplied by Isla Dagyab Energy Corp. arrived on May 29 under an emergency power supply agreement managed by the First Catandanes Electric Cooperative Inc.

The National Power Corp., led by President Jericho Jonas B. Nograles, and the National Electrification Administration are coordinating the rollout. The new units will inject eight megawatts of additional power into Catanduanes, effectively ending the rotating brownouts that have troubled local consumers.

Testing and commissioning are scheduled for June 10 to 14, with full commercial operations starting June 15. To further bridge the immediate supply gap, the National Power Corp. has relocated rented generator sets to provide another 6 megawatts of interim capacity while long-term supply solutions are finalized.