City hit with power blackout as Peco conducts routine maintenance
Call it rotten timing or pure bad luck yet residents and guests of entire Iloilo City endured sporadic power interruptions on Christmas day. Today will see a repeat, this time longer albeit in selected districts only.
The city's power provider, Panay Electric Company (Peco) was quick on its "don't blame us" stance though as explanation was given to the public on the Christmas (dark) day and night mis-event. What it was, a corresponding broadcast announcement was made, was a "Transco matter" that took hours to be resolved.
Practically all AM radio stations were bombarded with calls from irate locals. A Peco source also shared with The News Today (TNT) a similar occurrence that literally had its "trouble-shooter" numbers into "hotlines.
As such, a public notice to affected residents and businesses was sent out anew yesterday to give advance notices on today's black-out.
Due to feeder load balancing and preventive maintenance works of company feeder lines, total blackout is scheduled today lasting 8 hours and 30 minutes. The power interruption is set at 12:01am to 8:31 am.
Affected areas are whole of Barrio Obrero, Barangay Loboc, Lapuz, Barangays Sinikway, Don Esteban, Jalandoni Estate, Progreso, Rizal and portion of Huervana along JD Bake Shop, Colonade and Andoks Chicken and the stretch of Luna Street along Gaisano City.
There will also be a couple of 30-minuter black-out in the entire Lapaz District except Puerto Real, Jereos Street and Ledesco Village. The black-out here is set 12:01am to 12:31 am and 8am to 8:31am.
Similar black-out time for portion of Mandurriao particularly Barangays Bolilao and San Rafael. And same power interruption for portion of Jaro district along Jalandoni Street, Commission Civil, E.Lopez Streets, San Vicente, D.B. Ledesma, Villa Matilde Subdivision, Mission Road and Mission Extension, Del Carmen, San Jose, Javellana, Seminary Road and the Jaro Cathedral.
"We are conducting regular preventive maintenance on our system to provide you with better service," the Peco management in its news release sent to TNT went. "Please bear with us for the inconvenience."