Amid continuing pressures due to the Middle East conflict
Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and the Department of Energy (DOE) are banking on demand-side measures to help manage electricity bills and support grid stability amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that coincide with the dry season.
Meralco and DOE have renewed the call to commercial and industrial establishments to incorporate energy efficiency practices in their operations and participate in the Interruptible Load Program (ILP).
During the “Powering Through Uncertainty” webinar organized by Meralco for its enterprise customers, the value of these demand-side management measures was highlighted especially as the dry season—when demand historically peaks—sets in.
“We can see that there are no expected alert levels in the Luzon Grid considering that all of the capacities will be available as expected and new power project investments will come online as expected or targeted,” said Noriel Christopher R. Reyes, Officer-in-Charge of the DOE Power Planning and Development Division-Electric Power Industry Management Bureau.
While supply remains sufficient, officials recognized that the geopolitical tensions are putting pressure on fuel prices. But the government, along with private sector partners like Meralco, have intensified consumer education to push for energy efficiency and conservation measures that include efficient use of cooling and other high-load appliances, smarter consumption behaviors, and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies.
“How we consume energy is what we can control. Supply is outside of us. For businesses, there are opportunities for you to do an energy audit or a spot check. Get a professional and go around to see the opportunities you have. Think of energy efficiency as an opportunity not as an obligation,” DOE Energy Utilization Management Bureau Director IV Patrick Aquino said.
Beyond energy efficiency, a collective commitment of large-load consumers – anchored in the spirit of bayanihan – can also help in enhancing grid readiness and protect households and small businesses during potential supply tightness or Red Alert conditions
ILP is a voluntary demand-side management program where participants temporarily reduce load to help stabilize the grid when supply is limited.
“We continue to encourage enrolment because the program becomes more effective the more we have customers that can participate. For the benefit of the participants, the frequency of de-loading may be reduced if we can call on more customers. Within the ILP participant pool, we can also rotate who will be called to de-load,” Meralco Generation and Transmission Economics Lead Specialist Ma. Leticia L. Sapina said.
As of February 2026, there are 105 companies currently enrolled in the program, bringing the total de-loading capacity to 513 Megawatts. Meralco is proactively engaging more customers to increase the available de-loading capacity under the program.
Since 2014, Meralco’s implementation of ILP has spared as many as 3 million households from rotating power interruptions.
Collectively, these demand-side management measures help ensure system reliability for millions of consumers. Meralco continuously works together with the DOE and other industry stakeholders in advancing energy efficiency and conservation because smart, daily consumption habits help cushion households and businesses from the impacts of heat-driven demand and shifts in global fuel prices.
