Power back in Boracay after 2 days

MANILA, Philippines — Electricity was restored in Boracay yesterday after more than 49 hours of blackouts, according to the Department of Energy.

The DOE said tourists and locals had to contend with the power outage for two days after the Nabas-Unidos 69-kilovolt (kV) line tripped on Saturday, disrupting power supply to the Unidos-Caticlan-Malay and Unidos-Boracay lines.

As a result, Boracay Island and the neighboring areas of Malay and Buruanga were isolated from the power grid.

The DOE said the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and Aklan Electric Cooperative immediately deployed patrol and repair teams.

There are no power plants in Boracay and electricity is transmitted to the island via a submarine cable from the mainland.

The fault was later traced to damaged underground cables near the arrival area of Caticlan Airport.

Eight teams were mobilized to accelerate power restoration, with line crews putting up an 800-meter temporary overhead line along the airport’s runway perimeter.

Electric service resumed at 2:55 p.m. yesterday.

“Safety guided every call we made, including last night’s brief pause during high tide. Power is restored, and our teams remain on site to stabilize the system and complete permanent repairs,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said.

“We thank residents, business owners and visitors for their patience and cooperation,” she added.

It was not the first major power outage to hit Boracay this year. Last May, residents and tourists also experienced a blackout that lasted at least 18 hours.

To ensure reliable power on the island, the DOE said permanent repairs to the underground cables are being done.