TACLOBAN CITY- The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported that it was able to ‘energize’ all the 36 substations across Eastern Visayas which were affected when the region was hit by Typhoon ‘Ursula’ on the eve of Christmas Day.
Milfrance Capulong, NGCP communications officer, said that the restoration was completed on December 30, or about a week after Ursula pummeled the region.
Still, there are towns in the region that remain without power supply, mostly in Samar and Eastern Samar provinces.
Among these areas are in Llorente and Hernani, both in Eastern Samar, and Basey in Samar.
Capulong said that these areas have already been energized by the NGCP and its now up to the local power distributors to supply power up to the households.
She said that these areas may still have some problems to fix like toppled structures reason why they remain without power supply.
Capulong, however, said that she could not yet give figures as to how many power poles were toppled or leaned due to the strong winds and heavy rains spawned by Ursula.
“We are still in the process of updating but several structures were toppled down or leaned due to the onslaught of Ursula,” she said in a phone interview.
But the restoration of power on these areas may be hasten with the help of eight power cooperatives from Mindanao.
About 55 linemen coming from eight power cooperatives from Mindanao arrived in the region on December 27 and were deployed in Samar and Eastern Samar areas.
These cooperatives were from Agusan Del Norte Electric Cooperative (Aneco); Agusan Del Sur Electric Cooperative (Aselco); Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco); Surigao Del Norte Electric Cooperative (Surneco); Surigao Del Sur I Electric Cooperative (Surneco I); Surigao Del Sur II Electric Cooperative (Surneco II); Siargao Electric Cooperative (Siarelco); and Dinagat Island Electric Cooperative (Dielco).
These linemen are working alongside with the linemen from the NGCP, Capulong said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
