Genset to supply power in Samal Island

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A five to eight-megawatt (MW) modular generator set will be deployed to Samal Island, where there has been no electricity since last week after a cargo vessel hit the submarine cable of the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Daneco).

Charles Bejod, Daneco manager, said yesterday they are transacting with the Mindoro Grid Corp. for the acquisition of the genset. 

Bejod said they would also file a case against Seaview Shipping Cargo Corp., the owner of M/V Ecuador.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council met yesterday to discuss the power outage, which also affected the supply of water on the island. The city government said it would provide a generator set to the water district.

Samal Island is host to more than 200 beach resorts, including the world-renowned Pearl Farm.   

Meanwhile, 22 towns and a city in Pangasinan will experience a 10-hour power interruption today, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said in an advisory.  

Lilibeth Gaydowen, NGCP North Luzon corporate communications and public affairs officer, said the  8 a.m. to 6 p.m. power outage would affect Alcala, Bautista, Bayambang, Asingan, Mapandan, Mangaldan, Rosales, Villasis, Sto. Tomas, Sta. Maria, Balungao, Tayug, Natividad, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Umingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Pozorrubio, Laoac, parts of Sison and Basista as well as Urdaneta City. 

The blackout will pave the way for maintenance work on a 100-megavolt ampere transformer at the San Manuel substation and transmission lines serving the electric cooperatives in the affected areas.