Hanoi (VNA) – Widespread power cuts struck the Philippines on May 15, leaving millions without electricity in the tropical nation's hottest month of the year.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said rolling one-hour power outages hit parts of the capital Manila and the rest of the main island of Luzon from mid-afternoon.
These were due to "major grid disruptions" that affected transmission lines, as well as a maintenance shutdown of several major power plants, the NGCP and the Department of Energy said.
The disruptions are scheduled to spread to the central islands, leading to seven-hour power cuts, NGCP said.
Luzon accounts for almost half of the Philippine population of 116 million, as well as economic output.
The outages are occurring in the hottest month of the year, when demand for air conditioning ramps up./.
Philippines warns of power cuts as heat strains grids
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) issued a red alert, warning of potential outages of up to seven hours in 32 areas across the Visayas grid, and hour-long outages in nine areas across Luzon, including the capital Manila.
