THE Visayan Electric Company warned individuals against paying contractors to re-energize their houses, saying it entails safety issues that may put lives and properties in danger.
Quennie Bronce, head of Visayan Electric’s reputation enhancement department, said if customers will have their areas energized on their own, there will be risks of electrocution and fires, tripping of electric lines of other customers, overloading of wires and transformers, and low power quality like low voltage and flickers.
In a statement on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, Visayan Electric said it “does not collect fees for energization or repair of collapsed poles or downed lines.”
“If there are personnel who offer energization/repair for a fee, please report immediately to 230-8326 or send us a message through our Facebook page,” it said.
Visayan Electric said restoration efforts on its connections that were affected by Typhoon Odette (Rai) will continue, rain or shine.
Heavy rains were experienced in Cebu on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
Manpower
At present, Visayan Electric has a total manpower of 725 personnel, of whom 216 are organic, 343 are contractors and 166 are from distribution utilities (DUs) from their sister company Davao Light and Power Company, Manila Electric Company and others.
An additional 44 personnel from other distribution utilities around the country also arrived this week and more are expected to come.
These are the DUs that are currently helping Visayan Electric in its restoration of power in Cebu: AboitizPower sister companies Davao Light and Power Company, Cotabato Light and Power Company, Subic Enerzone Corp., Cagayan Electric Power & Light (Cepalco), Manila Electric Company (Meralco), Bantayan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Banelco), San Fernando Electric Light and Power Company (Sfelapco), Angeles Electric Corp., Dagupan Electric Corp. (Decorp), Iligan Light and Power Inc., Tarlac Electric Inc., Olongapo Electric, Cabanatuan Electric and La Union Electric.
As of 12 noon on Wednesday, Visayan Electric has been able to energize nearly 26 percent or 121,996 of its 474,182 affected customers.
It has restored 337 or 61.9 percent of the 544 power line segments within its franchise area.