Another 12-hour brownout scheduled in Iloilo City

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Weekends are supposed to be days of rest, but for Iloilo City residents, it means coping with yet another scheduled power interruption amid the sweltering heat.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) announced in its latest advisory that some parts of Iloilo City will undergo a planned power outage on Sunday, June 2, from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The power interruption will affect the Lapaz Substation of MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power).

NGCP Public Relations Department Lead Specialist Reaghan Alcantara said the power interruption is due to wood pole replacement and correction of defects along the Sta. Barbara-Power Barge 69kV transmission line.

This is not the first instance of NGCP implementing such power outages in parts of Iloilo City and the province due to the replacement of wooden poles and rectification measures.

Similar outages occurred on April 20, May 19, and May 25.

In its Transmission Development Plan 2022-2040, NGCP explained that the majority of its operated 69 kV lines nationwide are composed of wood pole structures that have already exceeded their 25-year asset life.

While these poles are part of NGCP’s replacement program, it strongly recommended that distribution utilities take on the responsibility of operating, maintaining, upgrading, and expanding these assets.

Dealing with extreme weather conditions due to the El Niño phenomenon, Iloilo City has been experiencing scheduled power interruptions on several weekends due to the extensive cleaning operation of MORE Power’s 69kV lines.

The most recent power interruption occurred on May 26, marking the conclusion of the cleaning operation that commenced on March 27.

The specific areas affected by the outage are:

Portion of La Paz Feeder 1:

Whole of Bo Obrero

Whole of Lapuz Norte

Whole of Mansaya

Portions of Baldoza, Ingore, Loboc, Jalandoni Estate, Don Esteban

Portion of La Paz Feeder 2:

Whole of Bito-on, Buntatala, Lanit, Tagbac

Portions of San Isidro, Banuyao, Ticud, Balabago, Balantang, Camalig

Portion of La Paz Feeder 3:

Portions of Baldoza, Banuyao, Burgos-Mabini, Caingin, Divinagracia, Hinactacan, Lopez Jaena Norte, Lopez Jaena Sur, Tabuc Suba (Lapaz), Balabago, Cubay, MV Hechanova, Quintin Salas

Portion of La Paz Feeder 5:

Portions of Alalasan, Lapuz Sur, Loboc, Punong, Baldoza, Burgos-Mabini, Divinagracia, Laguda, Railway

Whole of Aguinaldo, Macarthur, Rizal

Meanwhile, the following feeders will experience power interruptions from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.:

Whole of Diversion Feeder 1

Portion of La Paz Feeder 4

Portion of La Paz Feeder 1:

Whole of Progreso, Libertad, Sinikway

Portions of Danao, Ed Ganzon, Punong, Jalandoni Estate, Alalasan, Don Esteban, Lopez Jaena Sur

Portion of La Paz Feeder 2:

Portions of Baldoza, Banuyao, Caingin, Gustillo, Hinactacan, Ingore, Jereos, Lopez Jaena Norte, Tabuc Suba (Lapaz), San Isidro, Ticud, Balabago

Portion of La Paz Feeder 3:

Portions of Gustillo, Jereos, San Pedro, MH Del Pilar, Benedicto, Democracia, Ma Cristina, Simon Ledesma

Portion of La Paz Feeder 5:

Portions of Arsenal-Aduana, Danao, Ed Ganzon, President Roxas, Sampaguita, Yulo-Arroyo, Luna, Laguda