(Taguig City). Committed to immediately restore power supply in typhoon-hit areas, the Department of Energy (DOE) with support from local government units and private institutions has brought back electricity to priority areas in Bicol and Southern Tagalog regions before New Year.
“Restoring power in town centers and nearby communities affected by Typhoon Nina would not be possible if not for all the strong men and women who continue to give their full effort and time in restoring damaged energy facilities,” said Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi.
In Catanduanes, the National Power Corporation (NPC) and the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO) already energized the Virac Airport yesterday afternoon as the Mariinawa Diesel Plant has resumed operations.
“The operation of the airport is critical in improving the access of relief operations among others to the whole province of Catanduanes,” said Cusi.
For transmission facilities in the on-grid area, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), after deploying 500 technical personnel, reported its milestone achievement yesterday (31 December) that the Naga-Daraga 230 kV line and the Naga-Pili-Iriga line have been restored servicing the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon and Camarines Sur.
On the distribution side, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported that the Santa Cruz substation in Iriga City and Tigaon substation are ready to receive power supply via a distribution feeder to restore power under the franchises of Camarines Sur III Electric Cooperative (CASURECO III) and Camarines Sur IV Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASURECO IV).
In Albay Province, APEC reported that the power in Legazpi and Ligao cities were partially restored, while the Tabaco Substation serving Tabaco City is ready to received power.
In Sorsogon, Sorsogon II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SORECO II) reported that the power is partially restored in the province.
For Oriental Mindoro, the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ORMECO) has fully energized as of 30 December 2016 the towns of Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay and Bulalacao, while the remaining towns undertaking household restoration are Socorro (92%), Pola (74%), Baco (37%), Calapan (66%), Naujan (11%) and Victoria (13%).
NEA also reported that as of 30 December, the household restoration stood at 45.95% or a total of 811,327 households served.
Amid all this, Cusi said, "The momentum to restore power to the household level continues as we aim for a prosperous New Year by bringing light to our people’s hopes and dreams this 2017.”
Cusi also said that "the heroes of restoration are the personnel and crews from both the private and public institutions who dedicated their holidays rehabilitating energy facilities just to provide access again to power supply to these devastated areas.”
“We are now calling on additional technical people to go for 100% restoration to the households in the Bicol region because the holidays are over,” Cusi concluded.