LA TRINIDAD Benguet -- The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is hoping to reduce power interruptions during the rainy season that affect distribution utilities like the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco), Mountain Province Electric Cooperative and consumers.
NGCP regional communication and public affairs officer for Baguio-Benguet, Mountain Province and Pangasinan Melma Batario said they had a number of power interruptions in 2016. One of which was in October during the height of typhoon Lawin where some parts of Benguet and other provinces in the Cordillera were without power for three days.
“We cannot control the weather but we can at least minimize the length of power interruption by preparing our lines and towers and distribute our crew members along our transmission lines. We conduct continuous maintenance and we keep our crew working to make sure that everything is ok,” Batario said.
She added the NGCP is aggressive in its effort to maintain power lines with personnel doing round-the-clock check on facilities to assure that distribution lines are in good condition.
Batario said as part of preparation for the rainy season, NGCP has partnered with Beneco and the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative for information education campaign (IEC) to allow consumers to understand the processes and policies governing power shutdown during typhoons.
“We partnered with them for the IEC so that we could easily explain to the public how power supply is distributed so they can have a better understanding of happens during typhoons and who make the call for power interruption if something happens to towers, electric post, transmission lines, and distribution lines,” she said.
Through the conduct of IECs, the consumer will know from where the interruption emanated and who should be responsible in restoring power.
In 2016, the NGCP has recorded 26 power interruptions due to typhoons, three of which were incidents of fallen or toppled trees. (PNA)