Bohol's power services among most damaged, NGCP says

Bohol is one of the most affected areas by Typhoon Odette with about 183 electric posts and five transmission towers reportedly collapsed, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said on Wednesday.

“Malaki talaga ‘yung damage na dala ni Odette. Hanggang ngayon, ang Bohol Island ang isa sa pinakamalaki nating nakitang na-damage,” NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said during an Unang Balita interview.

(A lot has been really damaged because of Typhoon Odette. Up to now, Bohol is among the areas we saw with the most damage.)

Due to this, she added that Bohol is the lone province hit by the typhoon that has no transmission services.

Partial transmission services were then provided in Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Leyte, Negros, and Samar.

Department of Energy (DOE) spokesperson Felix William “Wimpy” Fuentebella stressed on Tuesday that it would be “challenging” for power to be restored in Bohol, Siargao, Surigao del Norte and the Dinagat Islands by the end of the year, thus they will remain without electricity this Christmas.

Meanwhile, Alabanza said that transmission facilities were also restored in Antique, Iloilo, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, and Lanao del Norte.

She noted that they deployed more personnel and equipment to speed up the restoration of power in areas that are still left without electricity.

“Nagdagdag na kami ng tao. ‘Yung unang nilarga natin nasa 520 line personnel. Ngayon nasa 736. Nagdagdag na rin tayo ng boom trucks. Dati nasa 65. Now it’s 92. Tapos of course our helicopters are there,” she said.

(We have added more line personnel from 520, now they are 736. We have also added boom trucks from 65 to 92. Our helicopters are also there.)

“Tapos na tayo sa lugar na pinagseserbisyuhan ng VECO, ng MECO, CEBECO II at CEBECO III. Wala pa po tayong mabibigay na information for the customers ng CEBECO I,” she added.

(We have finished restoring power in areas that are serviced by VECO, MECO, CEBECO II, and CEBECO III. We have no information so far for the customers of CEBECO I.)

NGCP’s target power restoration for the consumers of SOLECO and LEYECO IV in Samar and Leyte is on December 31.

LEYECO V and other parts of LEYECO IV are eyed to have power on December 21, while the rest of DORELCO is on December 25.

Power restoration in Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur is also targeted on December 25, while Cebu is on December 22, Alabanza noted.

“Mga customers ng ESAMELCO, ready na po for energization pero hindi pa nagdo-draw down ‘yung kooperatiba, ‘yung ESAMELCO mismo,” she said.

(ESAMELCO is ready for energization but it has not drawn down yet.)

Further, Alabanza said there are several factors causing the delay in power restoration. These include bad weather, road blockages, lack of communication and fuel, and the personnel who were also hit by Typhoon Odette.

“Bukod po doon, napakarami po ng affected na linya. Nasa 95 na linya ang affected sa kasagsagan ni Odette, so kailangan nating isa-isahin ‘yun, i-line patrol or i-aerial patrol. So, ‘yung assessment lang ng damage, natatagalan tayo,” she added.

(Aside from that, we have 95 lines affected by Odette. We have to fix them one by one through line patrol or aerial patrol. So, with just the assessment, we are having a hard time.) —KG, GMA News