Grenade blast destroys Mabalacat power substation

MABALACAT CITY – A grenade explosion Tuesday that destroyed one of the two transformers of the Mabalacat power substation in Barangay Camachiles here has left the northern parts of the city without electricity as of Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, workers and engineers of the Pampanga Electric Cooperative 2 (Pelco 2) were still repairing the 25-MVA transformer that was hit by a grenade allegedly thrown by a former employee of the electric cooperative.

The blast left several villages at the city proper with no electricity, making residents restless.

The other 10-MVA transformer inside the substation, which supplies power to the Dau area, was not hit by the blast, Pelco 2 Director Edward Lazatin said. According to Lazatin, Pelco 2 engineers were forced to shut down the transformer around 3 p.m. of Tuesday because rainwater may trigger another explosion that could destroy the whole facility.

“Nung ali de patdan lalung dagul ing problema. Kesa keng maglambat ing ala tamung power,” Lazatin said. He said repair is being hastened to restore the electricity as soon as possible, and that they are targeting power restoration within the day Wednesday.

Power lines Number 1,3,5, and six of the substation were damaged by the explosion.

Affected businessmen and residents were irked by the long-period of power outage, and assailed the slow repair works of the transformer. Reynaldo G. Navales