Power partially restored in Negros Occidental town

By Glazyl Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) has partially restored the power in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental on Saturday morning, following a four-day blackout due to the tripping of the 15 MVA power transformer in Victorias City substation in Negros Occidental.

The power outage since August 29 also affected the neighboring city of Victorias and a portion of Manapla town.

In an advisory by Noneco on September 2, the power firm said that partial power restoration was implemented at 3 a.m. in E.B. Magalona town.

However, the town is still experiencing some power interruptions, as Noneco is still balancing the power load to prevent overloading of power lines with the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco).

On August 31, Noneco linemen constructed lines to interconnect with Ceneco lines to temporarily restore power in the area of E.B. Magalona town, as one of the power firm’s solutions, while repairing the power transformer in Victorias City.

Noneco sought the assistance of Ceneco to provide a temporary remedy for the power crisis in the third district of the province.

Victorias City Mayor Javi Benitez, earlier said that Ceneco loaned Noneco a 15MVA transformer stationed at the CyberCentre here to restore power in the said city.

On Saturday night, Noneco said that Ceneco’s power transformer arrived at the Noneco Bacayan, Victorias substation to replace Noneco’s broken transformer.

Benitez said yesterday that the transformer successfully cleared all nine required tests: oil dielectric strength, TTR (primary to secondary), insulation resistance and P.I., winding resistance, overall insulation power factor, bushing hot collar, excitation current, impedance, and grounding (earth) resistance.

At 1:33 p.m. yesterday, Noneco submitted the test results to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for approval.

NGCP will conduct tripping simulations to confirm that all installed protections are operational, Benitez said.

Upon approval, Noneco will begin the commissioning and electrification process, he added.

Power is expected to be fully restored to Victorias, E.B. Magalona, and Manapla after these processes, Benitez said.