Meralco on standby as Karding intensifies

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) placed its systems and personnel on standby given the possible power outages due to Super Typhoon Karding (international name: Noru), the firm announced Sunday.

In an advisory, Meralco, as a 24-hour service company, said its crews were on standby to attend to any issues which may hit its facilities in areas affected by the typhoon.

Meralco Spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said the company also implemented steps to mitigate the possible impact of the typhoon, including advisories on precautionary measures.

“Meralco has consistently requested billboard owners and operators to temporarily roll their billboards up to prevent these structures from being toppled by the strong words,” he said.

The company said billboards falling into electrical facilities are among the main causes of power outages when there are strong winds.

At least two areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) 5 on Sunday morning, while several others were placed under lesser wind signals.

Meralco also called on the public to ensure that their homes' main electrical power switch or circuit breaker is turned off should there flooding, and be sure to be dry when being in contact with any facility.

It also urged the public to unplug appliances from wall sockets and turn off permanently connected equipment and unscrew all light bulbs if possible if conditions warrant it.

Meralco constructs, operates, and maintains electric distribution systems in the cities and municipalities of Bulacan, Cavite, Metro Manila, and Rizal, as well as certain areas in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, and Quezon.

It counts as subsidiaries and associates Vantage Energy Solutions and Management Inc. and MeridianX Inc., acting as retail electricity suppliers in Luzon and the Visayas.

The latest data available from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) indicate that transmission lines and facilities were operating under normal conditions as of 1 p.m. on Sunday. — DVM, GMA News