(Taguig City). As superTypoon Nina made landfall in Catanduanes on Christmas Day, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi instructed concerned units and agencies to immediately restore power facilities and supply to the damaged communities hit by the weather disturbance specifically in Southern Luzon and the Bicol Region.

“This is another superTyphoon, we’ve prepared for it and we are currently on the ground to assess the damage and quickly restore compromised energy facilities in each province,” relayed Sec. Cusi.

The Secretary added “The energy family is in full force in our disaster response. We’ve activated the Task Force Kapatid to augment affected distribution utilities’ assets for rehabilitation.”

Under the strong directive of the Secretary, DOE Usec. Felix William B. Fuentebella went earlier today (Dec. 26) to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) overall command and monitoring center and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to facilitate coordination on the rehabilitation efforts and set deadlines for the ground assessment of damaged energy facilities in details.

As agreed in the coordination meeting, “the DOE and its partners in the energy sector will deploy restoration teams for the speedy recovery of power to the affected towns and provinces,” Usec. Fuentebella reported.

In particular, the NGCP commenced its aerial technical inspection at 11:30 a.m. today following the typhoon track. By 6:00 p.m., the NGCP will report to the DOE, in detail, the status of the 230 kV lines- the main line connecting the electricity to Southern Luzon (Southern Tagalog and Bicol).

As of 11:00 a.m. (26 Dec.), NGCP reported that eleven (11) 69kV lines and its Daraga substation were currently down due to the superTyphoon affecting the provinces of Batangas, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay and Sorsogon.

On the distribution side, NEA committed to come up with more details from the ground by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow (Dec. 27) and to deploy the restoration teams under its Task Force Kapatid.

Usec. Fuentebella reported that “The electric cooperatives will receive the power from NGCP once their respective loads through the distribution lines will be ready.”

Earlier, Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) volunteers and the linemen from other electric cooperatives and private investment-owned distribution utilities (PIOUs) committed their assistance to aid the hardly hit electric cooperatives and restore power.

Sec. Cusi calls on everyone to ensure safety in their communities while the energy family works to restore power during the holiday season.

"We will need everybody's cooperation to open the roads and clear the areas for our linemen to have access to the damaged lines and energy facilities. We are committed to restore power immediately," Cusi concluded.

###