Why We’re Cursed with Rotational Brownouts This Week (And How to Prepare for Them)
Jun 3, 2021 • Kyzia Maramara
Jun 3, 2021 • Kyzia Maramara
Mercury is in retrograde until June 22. Is it a mere coincidence that we’re cursed with rotational brownouts in the stifling Metro heat? In case you missed it (or you’re part of the lucky unaffected ones), there’s an ongoing scheduled rotational brownout happening until June 7 (fingers crossed it doesn’t extend). Brownouts during summer are the worst but we have to get through it. What are these rotational brownouts anyway and why are they happening?
A brownout happens when the flow of electricity is intentionally or unintentionally reduced in certain areas. It could be caused by high electricity demand or even severe weather. Electric companies cause intentional brownouts to reduce the load in their power supply system (as you will see later).
Brownouts, named after the sudden dimming of lighting, can last from minutes to hours depending on the provider. The worst thing that can happen to a brownout is that it escalates into a blackout, a complete shutdown of power over large areas. Regardless, no one wants their electricity cut off.
These rotational brownouts are also called manual load dropping. Regardless of what it’s called, both just prove that local energy companies are yet to improve their electric grids and increase power supply. Here’s a video from Meralco explaining what manual load dropping and rotational brownouts mean:
Meralco’s rotational brownout will affect areas in Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, a huge portion of Metro Manila, and other nearby provinces for the first week of June. Those in Yellow Alert areas will experience brownouts from 8 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 6 pm while zones under Red Alert will have brownouts from 9 am to 5 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm.
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) did say that the tentative schedule for rotational brownouts can change or get canceled depending on their system’s improvement. You can check out the rotational brownout schedules on Meralco’s official Facebook page.
Here’s a list of areas that will be affected based on their June 2 schedule:
Between 9 am to 11 am
Bulacan
Cavite
Metro Manila
Laguna
Rizal
Between 11 am to 1 pm:
Laguna Province
Metro Manila
Rizal Province
Quezon Province
Between 1 pm to 3 pm
Bulacan
Laguna
Metro Manila
Pampanga
Between 2 pm to 4 pm
Cavite
Metro Manila
Rizal
Between 3 pm to 5 pm
Bulacan
Cavite
Laguna
Metro Manila
Rizal
You can also download the Meralco app (iOS, Android) to get direct updates about power restoration in your area.
If there’s anything positive about rotational brownouts it’s that you know they’re happening so you get to prepare. Meralco did assure everyone that the brownouts will last for 2 hours maximum. Here are things you should do before your scheduled summer brownout:
Yes. Inconsistent voltage can damage your devices especially mobile phones, computers, and TVs. When the power suddenly comes back on, these might not be able to regulate the power they receive. It’s better if you unplug all your devices including appliances like washing machines and microwaves, and plug them in once electricity is stabilized.
We can do our part in avoiding rotational brownouts by conserving energy. Meralco encouraged their customers to be mindful of their electric consumption to prevent Yellow and Red Alerts in the power supply. Here are a few things you can do:
Not only will you be helping reduce rotational brownouts, you’ll also keep your electricity bill from surging.
To get updates on rotational brownout schedules, visit Meralco’s official website and follow them on Facebook or Twitter.
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Kyzia spends most of her time capturing the world around her through photos, paragraphs, and playlists. She is constantly on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, and a great paperback thriller to pair with it.
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