Grid alerts, high WESM prices signal need for power system flexibility
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE QUEZON CITY, 01 June 2026 –– The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) emphasized that recurring grid alerts and sustained high prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) point to a fundamental gap in the Philippine power system: the lack of flexible generation capacity. Throughout May 2026, grid alerts have been repeatedly raised across Luzon and the Visayas, with multiple instances of yellow and red alerts declared due to thin operating reserves. These alerts have, at times, necessitated rotational blackouts in multiple areas across the country to keep the [...]
Indonesia’s export policy shift highlights PHL energy vulnerability
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE QUEZON CITY, 28 May 2026 — The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) stressed the need to strengthen the Philippines’ long-term energy security and affordability amid evolving coal policy developments in Indonesia and increasing volatility of fossil fuels in the global market. Indonesia remains the Philippines’ primary source of imported coal, which is largely used for power generation. Recent policy direction by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, including plans to strengthen government oversight over the pricing and export of key natural resources, reflects Indonesia’s broader efforts to prioritize domestic economic and [...]
Eastern Samar advances province-wide renewable energy roadmap, strengthens coordinated energy planning
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE QUEZON CITY, 21 May 2026 — The Provincial Government of Eastern Samar advances its commitment to a cleaner, more resilient, and community-centered energy future during the “Localizing Energy Transition: Empowering Local Government to Co-Create the Renewable Energy Roadmap,” held on May 18 to 21. 2026. In partnership with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), the workshop convened members of the Technical Working Group (TWG), comprising decision-makers and representatives from key provincial government offices of Eastern Samar, including the Provincial Governor’s Office, Provincial Administrator’s Office, Budget Office, Planning and Development [...]
Southeast Asia civil society spurs regional cooperation on Climate and Disaster Risk Financing
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE BANGKOK, THAILAND, 22 May 2026 — As climate and disaster risks continue to intensify across Southeast Asia, regional stakeholders explore a more coordinated approach to Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI), following the conclusion of the Multi-Actor Partnership on Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (MAP-CDRFI) Southeast Asia Workshop convened by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) on May 20-21, 2026. “Climate and disaster risks in Southeast Asia are becoming more frequent, more complex, and more costly, with vulnerable communities bearing the heaviest impacts,” stressed ICSC [...]
ICSC: Recurring grid alerts highlight urgent need for decentralized energy in the country
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE QUEZON CITY, May 20, 2026 –– The red and yellow alerts raised over the Luzon and Visayas grids over the past week highlight how outages from several large centralized coal plants can quickly strain the Philippine power system and result in power outages across interconnected grids, according to the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC). No baseload power plant should be on outage from April to June, based on the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) Grid Operating and Maintenance Plan (GOMP). However, ICSC noted that these power plants [...]