DOE increases power supply to typhoon-hit areas

THE Department of Energy (DOE) and its partners are continuously bringing back power supply to typhoon-affected areas in Southern Luzon and Eastern Mindanao.

“We are maximizing our assets and resources for the restoration of electricity at the soonest possible time in the hard-hit areas, where hundreds of distribution poles went down,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported that as of January 9, all transmission facilities affected by Typhoon Nina have already been restored, bridging generation facilities to distribution lines in the concerned towns and provinces in Bicol.

Power was also restored 100 percent in the provinces of Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon.

Meanwhile, restoration of power facilities continues in the provinces of Quezon (84.62 percent), Oriental Mindoro (91.18 percent), Camarines Sur (58.9 percent), Albay (47.75 percent) and Catanduanes (18.92 percent).

Households with power restored have reached 76.34 percent or 1,311,828 households, and 406,578 households await restoration.

Meanwhile, three transmission facilities in Siargao, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur affected by tropical depression Auring were being restored – Butuan-Placer 138kV line 1, Placer-Madrid 69kV line and Placer-Surigao 69kV line.

“The energy sector is united in promoting consumer welfare by providing power supply to our [countrymen]affected by typhoons at the soonest possible time. We always have to be prepared since these typhoons will continue to hamper our energy systems. We are trying to come up with better and effective measures every time we are faced with such challenges,” Cusi said.