Most areas in Bohol will remain without electricity for at least the remainder of the year based on projections of two of the three distribution utilities in the province, Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BCLI) and Bohol Electric Company (BOHECO) I, as both scramble to repair facilities damaged by Typhoon Odette.
BOHECO I spokesperson Alger Siga said it could take “months” before they finish repairs of their backbone lines while BLCI spokesperson Sheryl Paga noted that it would take less than a month for them to complete their restoration operations.
BOHECO I covers 26 towns while BLCI only caters to Tagbilaran City.
Meanwhile, BOHECO II could not yet be reached as of press time on Tuesday while communication lines have also yet to be fully restored.
According to Siga, “60 to 70 percent” of their backbone lines which cut through Sagbayan, Clarin, Inabanga, Balilihan, Calape, Tubigon, and San Isidro were damaged by Typhoon Odette.
“Kining backbone lines maoy ni gikan sa mga substation padulong sa mga highways, mao niy unang ipang restore nato, ang sunod mao ang communication facilities—repeaters and relay station kay importante kaayo ni,” said Siga.
Siga noted that they were still assessing the damages left by the typhoon hindering them from giving a more concrete timeline of their restoration operations.
Meanwhile, BOHECO I’s substations in Panglao, Dampas, Alburquerque, and Loay were ready to distribute power to consumers but these could not be energized as the Bohol power grid remained offline.
“Wala may significant damagers sa diri na area, sa Tagbilaran, Baclayon, Albur,” said Siga.
According to Paga, they were already fixing their distribution system including toppled electric posts and lines.
BLCI has deployed three boom trucks and a single crane for their repair operations.
“Almost 80 percent ang atoang nangaguba sa atoang service drop wires ug meters, mao hanyo pud nato sa atoang mga consumers nga sa ilaha pud na side na ang ilahang mga service drop wire na pananglitan na nahagbuangan og kahoy pwede nila e-clearing nila daan kay right after maka-rehab ta sa atong secondary lines, si BLCI na ang mo facilitate sa pag re-tap ngadto sa atong secondary na linya,” said Paga.
However, Paga said they would still not be able to energize their facilities if the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), for their part, will not complete restoration of its transmission lines.
“Mao nay commitment na gihatag sa among GM [one month] nga mahuman nato on that particular timeline pero mao lagi na inkaso og mahuman si BLCI na side, pero ang NGCP dili gihapon maka restore wa gihapon tay mahimo ana,” said Paga.
“Ang amo lang is preparation just in case nga makahatag sila nato og supply,” she added.
The NGCP has yet to release an estimated time of completion for their repairs. (R. Tutas)