TACLOBAN CITY, (PNA) — Electric consumers of cash-strapped Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (Norsamelco) suffered a 10-day power outage Saturday due to maintenance activity by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
In a notice, NGCP shutdown power for the entire province to repair Palanas-Cara-Catarman-Bobolosan-Allen 69kV transmission line. The same line was also checked by NGCP in Oct 5 that caused a 10-hour power failure.
The power shutdown began 8 a.m. and ended up 5 p.m. It affected 24 municipalities of Northern Samar with 57,706 connections as of end of 2012.
“Normal operations immediately resumed after work completion. NGCP customers and the general public were advised to take the necessary preparations and precautions for this scheduled interruption,” the NGCP stated.
Earlier, Norsamelco faced disconnection notice from its electricity source after its electric cooperative failed to pay bills worth more than P500 million. The National Electrification Administration took over the facility in July 2013.
Meanwhile, portions of the Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative in central part of Leyte will experience brownouts for 30 minutes on Sunday between 4 to 5 p.m. due to maintenance activity of Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO) Maasin substation and 69 kV Sogod-Maasin transmission line.
Repairing the same facilities will also cause 40 minutes power failure both in the morning and afternoon in some parts of Southern Leyte province.
“Possible load curtailment may be implemented between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to prevent low voltage problems,” the NGCP stated.
The NGCP is a private firm that operates, maintains and develops the country’s transmission network. It acquired the 25-year concession of National Transmission Corp. in 2008.
The firm is in charge of the transmission of high-voltage electricity through power superhighways that involve an interconnected system of transmission lines, towers, substations, and other related facilities.