DOE: No Major Damage on Energy Facilities Due to Typhoons

Sept. 13, 2017

(Taguig City). The Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday reported that Typhoons Maring and Lannie did not cause a major damage on power infrastructure.

Based on the energy family's reports, all power generation plants within the paths of the two typhoons were running under normal condition.

Power transmission facilities and services were reported to be normal as of 7:00 a.m. Wednesday following restoration efforts made by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

The transmission lines that experienced trippings are the following:

  • Batangas-Bolboc 69kV line affecting parts of Batangas City and Bauan in Batangas
  • Gumaca-Lopez-Tagkawayan 69kV line affecting parts of Quezon I Electric Cooperative (QUEZELCO 1)
  • La Trinidad-Mankayan-Sagada 69kV line affecting the Benguet Electric Cooperative customers (BENECO)
  • Olongapo-Cawag 69kV line affecting Zambales II Electric Cooperative (ZAMECO II)

In the Meralco franchise area, the utility company reported that knee-deep to chest-deep flooding, strong winds and heavy downpour caused momentary and sustained outages to 40 circuits or 5.6 percent of the total circuits within its franchise area. This affected 639,574 customers.

The company explained that most of the trippings were due to soil erosion, fallen trees and foreign objects.

As of 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, MERALCO updated that restoration of power is ongoing for 3,025 households. This includes the repair of the distribution lines serving Barangay Bagong Buhay, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan that affects 1,482 customers.

For electric cooperatives, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported that First Laguna Electric Cooperative (FLECO) reported no damage on major distribution lines except for a few electric posts that were disrupted.

For the province of Quezon, Quezelco 1 fully energized the municipalities of Catanauan, San Andres and San Francisco that were affected by the typhoon. Affected areas include the municipalities of Macalelon, Gen. Luna, Atimonan, Lopez, Unisan, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Pitogo, Gumaca, San Narciso, Buenavista and Mulanay. The following areas are still without power: Calauag and Guinayangan (due to impassable road caused by landslides); Plaridel (due to damaged poles at Sitio Gamao); Tagkawayan and Del Gallego (due to the ongoing technical inspection of unbalanced voltages); and, Alabat Island (due to accessibility).

Quezelco 1 further reported that they are already conducting technical assessment of the damaged lines and facilities for restoration.

Quezelco 2 reported that heavy rains and strong winds caused minor power interruptions in affected areas.

According to NEA, electric cooperatives with normal operations as of 11:00 a.m. Wednesday are as follows:

•   Region III (Peninsula Electric Cooperative and Zambales II Electric Cooperative)

•   Region IV (Batangas I and II Electric Cooperatives, Quezon II Electric Cooperative, Lubang Island Electric Cooperative, Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Tablas Island Electric Cooperative, Romblon Electric Cooperative, Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative, Marinduque Electric Cooperative and Palawan Electric Cooperative).

•   Region V (Camarines Sur I and III Electric Cooperatives)

For Batangas and Occidental Mindoro, the power services were immediately restored.

In the fuel sector, the oil supply is generally stable with only three non-operational gasoline stations: Pilipinas Shell stations in Quezon and Bulacan due to flooding concerns, and an Eastern Petroleum station in Dasmarinas, Cavite. 

Seaoil and Jetti Petroleum reported that all their gas stations are operational, while other oil industry players have yet to report their status.

DOE Sec. Alfonso G. Cusi assures the public that the DOE is continuously monitoring the situation and ensuring the fast tracking of the repairs.

The DOE reminds the people that safety is the number one priority.  It also encourages reporting of all concerns affecting energy facilities to the DOE-Consumer Welfare and Promotion Office at ‎‎4792900 loc. 329 or email us at info@doe.gov.ph.

###