Power restored in ‘Rolly’-hit Bicol provinces

LEGAZPI CITY –– Power was restored in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and parts of Albay almost two weeks after Supertyphoon “Rolly” (Goni) battered the Bicol region on Nov. 1, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said on Tuesday.

Nilda Somera, NGCP Bicol spokesperson, said restoring the two 69kv lines in Albay and Camarines Sur would provide power transmission services to the Albay Power and Energy Corp. (APEC), Camarines Sur Electric Cooperatives (Casureco) II, and III.

Somera said 53 line gangs or over 420 personnel were deployed in Bicol to expedite the restoration of transmission lines affected by the typhoon, which left 755 transmission structures damaged, including 47 toppled backbone structures.

Somera said in an interview that energizing the two 69kv lines in Naga City on Saturday has extended power transmission services to Casureco I and IV.

Meanwhile, the island operations of the Bac-Man Geothermal Power Plant over the weekend successfully energized the 230kV line, supplying power to parts of Albay and the entire Sorsogon.

NGCP continues to work on the restoration of remaining lines serving Albay, and completion of work to synchronize restored lines back to the main grid.

The permanent restoration of the toppled backbone structures is also underway.

ZB