Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and the Electric Cooperatives Association of Region VI (ECAR VI) on Saturday, April 29, asked the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to address the frequent power outrages that have been hitting Negros and Panay Islands.
“Having a reliable and stable power supply amid the dry season is important. That is why we are seeking action and accountability from all concerned agencies,” Benitez said in a statement on Saturday, April 29.
Benitez pointed out that in the past few days “we have all experienced voltage fluctuations and power outages that may have caused damage to our home and office appliances”.
The mayor said he had coordinated with the NGCP to get an explanation on the root cause of the problem.
NGCP told the mayor that it is “tirelessly working to determine the root cause of these trippings and to provide a universal solution to restore and stabilize the power supply chain”.
“While we have assessed our system for possible malfunctions, and confirmed that our protocols are working as intended, we are also exploring the possibility that adjustments need to be made along the supply chain to stabilize power,” it said.
On Sunday NGCP announced manual load dropping in some areas as a contingency measure caused by generation deficiency.
ECAR VI president Shirley Laurente in a letter to Lazaro Dela Cruz, NGCP Visayas Operations and Maintenance district manager, said on behalf of the association’s member cooperatives she was raising their concern regarding the overvoltage and frequent power outages that have been hitting Negros, Panay and Guimaras islands.
“We understand that the cause of this interruption involves a generating facility. However, as a grid operator tasked to ensure that the country’s transmission assets are in optimal condition to convey safe, quality, and reliable electricity, we are respectfully requesting your assistance for the immediate mitigation and rectification of this issue for millions of our consumers who are in need of electric service,” Laurente said.*