House to probe Visayas power crisis, ancillary charges

BACOLOD CITY - The House Committee on Energy, chaired by Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez, will conduct a critical briefing on Wednesday, Sept. 16, to examine the worsening power crisis in the Visayas grid, including recurring red and yellow alerts and controversial ancillary service charges being passed on to consumers, said Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javi Benitez.He said that officials from the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), and other key agencies have been summoned to explain the grid's deteriorating reliability and to detail exactly what services consumers are paying for amid persistent supply shortfalls.The power situation has grown increasingly critical in recent days, with the Visayas grid placed on red alert from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sept.