Bohol folk bear power outage as NGCP repairs equipment

Some establishments in Tagbilaran City, Bohol are using generator sets to continue business operations on Saturday because of the province-wide 11-hour blackout. Leo Udtohan/Inquirer Visayas

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – Ludine Dano-Langit decided not to close her travel agency even if the entire Bohol province was experiencing an 11-hour power outage on Saturday.

She said she had to open for her clients.

She used a small generator set which consumed at least three liters of diesel at P53 per liter.

However, some business establishments like bakeries, lotto outlets and internet cafes were closed on Saturday morning since these didn’t have generator sets.

Power rotations had been scheduled in the capital city of Tagbilaran and some towns in Bohol.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said the power blackout started at 4 a.m. and was expected to end at 3 p.m. on the same day.

The NGCP said in a statement that the blackout was caused by the annual preventive maintenance work of the 138kiloVolt Maasin-Ubay submarine cable and 69kV feeders and other associated high-voltage equipment at Ubay and Corella substations.

With the scheduled power outrage, the NGCP and Bohol’s distribution utilities called on the public to prepare for the temporary power interruption.

The NGCP also assured that it would make efforts to resume power services before the scheduled resumption at 3 p.m.

Normal operations would immediately resume once repairs are completed, she said.