NGCP partly restores power in typhoon-hit N. Samar

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Dec. 21 (PNA) – The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has re-energized on Saturday some transmission line sections in northern Samar following completion of repairs damaged by typhoon "Nona".

The NGCP is targeting to fully restore its transmission services to the typhoon-ravaged province before the year ends.

In its 5:31 p.m. advisory issued on Saturday, NGCP said that they are able to re-energize the 69 kilo Volts (kV) Palanas-Cara-Catarman and Bobon-Catarman sections.

“The line will transmit power to the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative’s (Norsamelco) Bobon station once this facility is ready,” the NGCP said.

NGCP Communication Officer for Visayas, Betty Rosette Martinez, in an interview said that at least 109 poles were toppled, 111 were left leaning, when typhoon "Nona" ravaged northern Samar.

The Catarman–Bobolosan line section sustained was heavily affected wherein 74 poles toppled and 78 poles leaning.

Martinez said that NGCP is doing all means to ready the power highway before Norsamelco finished the rehabilitation activities of their distribution lines.

According to the latest report from NDRRMC, power has been restored in the province except in the municipalities of Catubig, Gamay, Lao-ang, Pambujan, Palapag, Las Navas, Biri, Capul, San Antonio, San Vicente, Lapinig and Silvino Lobos.

In the meantime, NGCP asked the support and cooperation of the public, particularly private landowners in their restoration and rehabilitation activities. Martinez said that during such activities NGCP linemen need to enter or pass private properties.

“We would like to seek support and cooperation of private lot owners to allow our linemen enter or pass privately owned lots and do their work,” Martinez said.

“NGCP’s main objective is to restore our lines as early as possible, we just hope that there will be no strong resistance from land owners like what we experienced on our restoration activities during the past typhoons. What our linemen are doing is for them,” she explained.

Martinez, likewise appealed to village officials to help in securing NGCP’s men who are doing the restoration activities because they are troubleshooters in the occurrence of power service problem. (PNA)
JMC/SQM/Jennifer S. Allegado/egr