The Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BLCI) will be able to provide electricity to select areas in Tagbilaran City on Friday, New Year’s Eve, if the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) completes its repair of a transmission line between the city and the Power Barge 104 in Ubay, an official said.
According to BLCI spokesperson Sheryl Paga, two of their eight feeders were ready to be energized but they were still awaiting updates from the NGCP.
“Hopefully karong adlawa dunay positive responses sa NGCP kung maka transmit naba sila nato og supply,” said Paga in an interview over station dyRD on Thursday.
BLCI and the two other distribution utilities in the province have secured a certificate of exemption and a provisional authority from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), respectively, to draw power from the Bohol Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) in Tagbilaran City and the Power Barge 104 in Ubay in the aftermath of the onslaught of Typhoon Odette.
However, BBDP manager Arturo Pepito said they were still not ready to activate the plant as of Thursday afternoon due to incomplete repairs of a panel box which exploded and caught fire last week.
For his part, NGCP head of Visayas operations and maintenance Raul Galano said they will transmit power from the power barge in Ubay to Tagbilaran City through its transmission line which cuts through Garcia Hernandez town.
The NGCP was still conducting tests on the transmission line as of Thursday noon.
“Once ma stable na siya, stable pud ang barge na magdagan, that will be the time na e-extend nato ang power padung sa Tagbilaran and I believe ang BLCI ready na, gapaabot nalang sila na moabot ang power diri sa Tagbilaran,” said Galano during a press conference at the Capitol on Thursday noon.
According to Paga, they will only provide electricity to essential establishments such as hospitals, pumping stations, water refilling stations, radio stations, gas stations, cell sites and banks.
BLCI’s Feeder Alpha which serves areas from Ramon Enerio St. near the Land Transportation Office to J. A Clarin St., Plaza Rizal, CPG Ave and up to the Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School (DCPNH) was ready to be energized as of Thursday.
Feeder Charlie which covers areas from the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital to Miguel Parras St, J. A. Clarin and FilOil Gas Station was also ready for operation.
However, Paga noted that the power which will be drawn from power barge and BDPP, once activated, will only be limited and will be shared among BLCI, BOHECO I and BOHECO II.
The BDPP and power barge can provide 12 megawatts and 37 megawatts, respectively, and are not enough to meet Bohol’s total power demand of around 90 megawatts.
Bohol remains largely dependent on supply from power plants in Leyte which also incurred damages due to Typhoon Odette. (R. Tutas)