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

‘Nona’ cuts power supply in Samar

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Dec. 14 (PNA) – Power supply was shutdown in some parts of Samar due to line trippings caused by typhoon Nona.

Prior to the reported minor damage caused by the typhoon’s violent winds, the Samar I Electric Cooperative (Samelco 1) has temporary shutdown power supply in Samar province Monday noon.

In an advisory, the electric cooperative said they have to cut power supply to avoid problems because of the strong winds brought by Typhoon 'Nona'.

“We assure our consumers that power will be restored the moment the weather will improve,” Samelco 1 said in its advisory.

Around 12:35, NGCP decided to cut the power supply to Samelco due to line trippings, isolating the 69 kilo Volts Gandar Feeder.

“Linemen have yet to inspect the line to determine the cause of its intermittent trippings earlier, when weather condition improves,” the NGCP said

Samelco 1 has 53,228 power consumers in Calbayog City, towns of Sta. Margarita, Gandara, San Jorge, Tarangnan, Pagsanjan, and Matuguinao.

Aside from classes, work in both government and private offices in the entire Samar province has been suspended on Monday as typhoon Nona made its landfall in nearby Northern Samar province. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/JENNIFER SUMAGANG-ALLEGADO