Electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas declare state of emergency

Electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas declare state of emergency

THE Federation of Rural Electric Cooperatives (Frecor) in Eastern Visayas
region has declared a state of emergency to allow its members to find other
options, such as procurement of mobile/modular generator sets, to restore
power supply in quake-hit Leyte as well as in Samar and Biliran islands.

Allan Laniba, general manager of Leyte III Electric Cooperative (Leyeco
III), confirmed Frecor's declaration Wednesday, July 12.

The federation is composed of 11 electric cooperatives that serve around
600,000 member-consumers in Eastern Visayas.

Majority of Leyte and the islands of Samar, Bohol and Biliran remain
isolated from the Visayas power grid as of Wednesday, almost a week after a
magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Leyte and damaged power generation and
transmission facilities.

In a statement, the federation demanded that the National Grid Corporation
of the Philippines (NGCP) provide ancillary power supply by sending to
Eastern Visayas power barges from Cebu and Iloilo.

The group also requested the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory
Commission and NGCP to "review the Transmission Development Plan of NGCP and
find alternate ways to climate- or calamity-proof its transmission
facilities."

The electric cooperatives further requested Administrator Edgardo Masongsong
of the National Electrification Administration to work for more resolute
efforts to solve the crisis.

Laniba said the federation issued the declaration after a meeting with NGCP
representatives Tuesday, July 11, in Leyte revealed that even if power
supply from Cebu becomes available, Eastern Visayas would still be without
electricity because transmission facilities in Ormoc were damaged by the
July 6 earthquake.

During their meeting, Laniba said NGCP representatives assured that "they
have solutions, but they could not give a timeline." "We are not blaming
NGCP (grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines) because
this is a calamity. But we ask that they be upfront and tell us the extent
of the damage and give us a timeline (for the restoration of the damaged
facilities),"

Laniba said in a phone interview Wednesday, July 12. "We are willing to work
hand-in-hand with them. We have even offered to provide linemen. They just
need to tell us what exactly the problem is," he added.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2017/07/12/electric-cooperatives-e
astern-visayas-declare-state-emergency-552505

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com