Power supply up in remote areas

Manila Standard Today
By Dexter A. See | Aug. 18, 2014 at 12:01am

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union—The National Power Corp (Napocor) has announced additional hours of electricity supply to 207 municipalities in small islands, which do not have power around the clock, a senior official said during the weekend.

Napocor President Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita said the operations of power barges that supply electricity to remote islands have been extended by up to four hours, providing remote areas of the country with up to 20 hours of continuous power every day.

“Through extension of operating hours, we hope to spur economic activities in the missionary areas, thus, improving the quality of life of our customers in far-flung islands,” Cruz-Sta. Rita said.

Napocor operates 296 power barges known as Small Power Utilities Group throughout the country but only 53 will get additional power supply. An outlay of P19 million worth of fuel have been alloted for the project.

The 296 power barges serve about 770,000 households. A total of 22,841 households will benefit from the additional power.

Cruz-Sta. Rita said the increase in operating hours of the barges was scheduled to be implemented next year, but it was implemented ahead of schedule because of the agency’s good financial standing and sufficient fuel supply.

She called on local governments in the affected areas to help the agency in bringing equipment and fuel supply to their areas so that the people can enjoy the benefits of continuous power supply.

Last year, the agency increased the operating hours of the Sacol Diesel Power Plant in Zamboanga City and the Burias Diesel Power Plant in Masbate last February.

Napocor has also approved the request of Palawan Electric Cooperative for expansion of operation from 12 hours to 24 hours in the municipality of Taytay. source