Energy chief vows speedy restoration of power in Panay
Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes yesterday said half of Panay Island remains without electricity because of damage brought by typhoon "Frank".
Full restoration of power supply could take from a few days in some areas to more than a month in others when repairs of toppled or submerged phone lines and damaged sub-stations would be completed, according to a report of the National Transmission Corp. and electric cooperatives.
Power has been fully restored in Samar and Leyte and Negros Occidental as of yesterday, Reyes said during an emergency meeting of the Iloilo Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council held at the provincial capitol here.
Reyes said only 2 percent of Panay had electricity last Sunday and 25 percent on Monday from only 2 percent on Sunday to 50 percent as of yesterday
Twenty eight of Iloilo's 42 towns and one component city are still without electricity. Power was also out in the entire province of Antique, Aklan and Capiz.
Electricity has been restored in about 80 percent of Iloilo City as of yesterday, according to the Panay Electric Company.
But consumers could suffer rotating brownouts because a sub-station in Jaro District was damaged and could at least two weeks for repairs to be completed.
Transco Vice President for Visayas Jules Alcantara said they are still repairing transmission lines in many areas in Panay that have been toppled or submerged in water or mud.
Power Barge 103 has also been damaged after it was dragged from its mooring site in Estancia town in Iloilo.
Alcantara said they are rushing to complete repairs and return transmission to electric cooperatives by Sunday.
"We must restore electricity in time for (boxing champion Manny) Pacquiao's fight on Sunday," Reyes said during the meeting in jest.
Reyes granted a P5 million loan each to the Iloilo Electric Cooperative (Ileco) I and Ileco II to help them fast-track repairs. He also promised to give financial assistance for generators of district hospitals that have no electricity.