Energy leaders in the Visayas have warned that the region faces an urgent challenge in keeping up with rising electricity demand, as the need for additional power continues to outpace new energy projects.
Annual Demand Growth Equivalent to One Power Plant
During the Power Forward Visayas forum held on Friday, April 24, 2026, Rhea Navarro, regional chief operating officer for the Visayas of AboitizPower Transition Business Group, revealed that electricity demand in the region grows by approximately 150 megawatts annually — equivalent to the output of one power plant unit.
“The biggest challenge is really keeping pace with power demand,” Navarro said.
She explained that while demand continues to rise alongside the Visayas’ expanding economy, building new power plants takes around three years, creating a gap between energy needs and available supply.
“We need one unit of a power plant every year, but it takes about three years to put one online. There is an imbalance between the growth in demand and the limited growth in capacity, and I think that is the fundamental problem,” she said.
Navarro stressed that addressing the issue will require close coordination between government and industry stakeholders.
“It’s not an easy problem to solve, and that is why conversations like these are important,” she added.
Visayas Ahead in Renewable Energy Transition
Despite these challenges, Jay Joel Soriano, vice president and head of strategy and planning at First Gen Corp., said the Visayas is already ahead of national targets in renewable energy transition.
He noted that the region’s energy mix is about 45 percent renewable energy and 55 percent fossil fuels — placing it roughly 15 years ahead of the Department of Energy’s target of a 50-50 mix by 2040.
“The Visayas is ahead of the curve. It is already transitioning much faster than the rest of the country,” Soriano said.
However, he emphasized that sustaining progress will require more than increasing power supply. He said the region must make “a series of good decisions,” including determining the right energy mix, modernizing the grid, and educating consumers about their options when choosing power suppliers.
“It is not just one single thing that needs to move. It requires a systems view and all of us coming together to push forward energy security for the region,” Soriano said.
Current Supply Stable but Long-Term Hurdles Remain
Meanwhile, Department of Energy (DOE) 7 Director Renante Sevilla assured the public that the Visayas power supply remains stable for now, supported by grid interconnections with Luzon and Mindanao.
“As of today, we are still on normal status of operations. Supply is okay,” Sevilla said.
He explained that the Visayas can draw additional capacity from Luzon and Mindanao when needed, with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines continuing to strengthen interconnections.
Still, Sevilla acknowledged that policy and financing challenges remain major hurdles to long-term energy security. He said the government is considering several policy options, including the possible lifting of the coal moratorium, while continuing to promote renewable energy through initiatives such as the Green Energy Auction Program.
“Our renewable energy targets are 40 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040, but the DOE cannot do it alone. We need the support of all stakeholders to achieve that,” Sevilla said.
He added that while the Visayas has strong renewable energy potential, particularly in geothermal power, large-scale projects require significant investment.
“The bottom line is that investors must be willing to come in, because these projects require huge financing,” he said.
The forum highlighted that while the Visayas has made progress in renewable energy adoption, stronger investments, faster project development, and closer collaboration will be crucial to securing the region’s energy future.
