Meralco sends team to Tagbilaran to help restore power

The Tagbilaran City local government unit welcomed at the Bohol Panglao Internatioanl Airport linemen and technicians sent by Meralco to assist in the restoration of power facilities in the city. | Photo: via BLCI

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest power distributor, sent a team to Bohol to extend assistance in the restoration of power lines in Tagbilaran City which, along with the rest of the province, is still without electricity in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette.

According to BLCI spokesperson Sheryl Paga, the team which was composed of 25 linemen and five technicians arrived at the Bohol Panglao International Airport (BPIA) on Thursday.

The team will first assist in the repair operations of the Bohol Light Company, Inc., Tagbilaran City’s main distribution utility.

“Naa tay ni abot na backup crew from Meralco mao niy nitabang nato karon sa pag rehabilitate sa uban natong mga backbone lines,” said Paga.

The team will remain in the city until rehabilitation efforts are completed and will then be deployed to the towns to help with the repairs of facilities of the Bohol Electric Cooperative (BOHECO) I and II.

The Meralco team will augment BLCI’s 57 linemen scattered throughout the city to conduct various restoration activities.

In its latest update, the BLCI reported that clearing of main roads and highways was already 85 percent complete while correction of leaning poles was 90 percent done.

However, repair of damages, such the erection and stringing of lines, was still 10 percent complete.

According to Paga, only one feeder of the BLCI’s eight feeders was ready to be energized as of Thursday afternoon.

“Ang atoang ready na feeder is only feeder alpha, most likely kung naa tay ma draw na power, dili tanan makasiga kay ang feeder alpha mao pay nahuman nato og rehabilitate ang iyang backbone line,” said Paga.

The BLCI, BOHECO I and BOHECO II continued to wait for the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to also complete the repairs of its transmission facilities which will draw power from energy sources in Leyte.

The distribution utilities have also appealed to the Department of Energy and Energy Regulation Commission to allow them to draw power from the Bohol Diesel Power Plant in Tagbilaran City which has a capacity of 12 to 16 megawatts.