Pagasa: New Doppler radar will be spared from outages

LEGAZPI CITY—The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) assured disaster authorities the multimillion-peso Doppler radar in Bato, Catanduanes province, and all other weather monitoring equipment across Bicol would not be affected by threats of power outages.

Pagasa regional director Landrico Dalida Jr. belied earlier reports the newly inaugurated Doppler radar would be rendered nonoperational by brownouts currently occurring in Catanduanes province.

He said in a phone interview that the Doppler facility has its own generator set and enough fuel to run it even during prolonged brownouts.

The generator has enough power to run radar and monitoring equipment installed at the Doppler station, including its lighting facilities, he said.

Dalida said the Pagasa Southern Luzon Bureau under his watch has seven surface observatory stations in Legazpi City, Daet, Sorsogon City, Virac, Calapan City, Catarman and Romblon.

All these have generator sets and fuel to operate 24/7 in times of calamities.

Carlos Briones, spokesperson of Catanduanes Gov. Joseph Kua, in a text message, said the island-province would be experiencing rotating brownouts starting May 11.

He said the Catanduanes Power Generator Inc. (CPGI) could no longer supply the demand for electricity of the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative (Ficelco) due to financial and operating losses.

Ficelco is being supplied with electricity by CPGI through diesel-fed generators and two hydrothermal plants operated by Sunwest Corp.