Meralco reports 100-percent power restoration in Batangas and Laguna

By BusinessMirror - January 21, 2020

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/01/21/meralco-reports-100-percent-power-restoration-in-batangas-and-laguna/

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has fully restored its main lines and circuits affected by the ashfall from the recent Taal eruption.

“Meralco today announced that as of 3 p.m. Sunday, January 19, 2020, 100 percent of Meralco’s main lines and circuits affected have been restored,” the utility firm said Monday.

In the past week, portions of Cavite, Laguna and Batangas experienced power interruptions because of Taal’s ashfall coming into contact with Meralco’s facilities, thus, affecting the various circuits in these areas. Around 180,000 customers in these areas were affected.

“Meralco thanks its customers for their patience and understanding, and will continue to work 24/7 in all future power restoration efforts,” it said.

Meanwhile, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said Batangas 1 Electric Cooperative Inc. (BATELEC 1) and Batangas 2 Electric Cooperative Inc. (BATELEC 2) recorded a decline in electricity demand as thousands of residential customers were forced to evacuate and businesses closed.

BATELEC 1 reported a 7-megawatt  drop, while BATELEC 2 pegged a 12 MW to 15 MW decline, which will have an effect on their operations, both on the financial and technical aspects, including system loss rates and collection efficiency, according to NEA administrator Edgardo Masongsong.

BATELEC 2 General Manager Octavious Mendoza said the municipalities of Talisay and Laurel were on forced power shutdown, as both towns were placed on total lockdown by the authorities to prevent residents from going back to their homes.

The Lipa City-based power distribution utility also enforced a mandatory shutdown of electricity to 21 barangays of Tanauan City that are within the 14-kilometer danger zone.

Mendoza said this was in compliance to the memorandum issued by the local government of Tanauan and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO). Tanauan City is currently under a state of calamity due to the phreatic eruption of Taal Volcano.

Covered by the temporary shutdown are Barangays Ambulong, Bañadero, Gonzales, Wawa, Boot, Maria Paz, Bagbag, Balele, Mabini, Tinurik, Banjo West, Janopol Oriental, Janopol Occidental, Talaga, Bilog-bilog, Maugat, San Jose, Natatas, Luyos, Montaña and Santor.

However, efforts to restore power to villages not included in the list of “critical areas” by the local government will continue, according to BATELEC 2  Assistant General Manager Mary Ann Dimaano.

Dimaano said the barangays in Tanauan City with ongoing restoration activities are Altura Bata, Altura Matanda, Altura South, Cale, Malaking Pulo and Santol, with 2,605 total combined households.

BATELEC 1 General Manager Alvin Velasco, meanwhile, reported that the towns of Agoncillo, Lemery and San Nicolas—all under lockdown—are also on forced power shutdown. These municipalities have a total combined households of 32,392.

Velasco also informed the NEA administrator of their ongoing activities that include a massive cleanup of their power distribution facilities, such as substations and feeder lines, which were covered by a thick layer of volcanic ash.