‘Zero brownout’ measures ordered for election day

The Department of Energy (DOE) has ordered electric cooperatives (ECs) nationwide to adopt "zero brownout" measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply during and after the elections, particularly the critical period of vote counting and canvassing.

Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez said the entire energy sector led by the DOE, the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) will cooperate with the private sector led by Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the 119 electric cooperatives (ECs) all over the country to ensure power availability.

As early as December last year, the DOE, Napocor, and Transco and the various distribution utilities have formed "Task Force Halalan 2004" in an effort to ensure the continuous supply of power during the critical days of the election period.

Perez said to prevent possible attacks that may cripple power supply, the task force has beefed up its security personnel who will man the country’s critical power infrastructures.

"The power sector is prepared to prevent any eventualities that may likely happen," Perez stressed.

The energy chief also asked the ECs to conduct pro-active activities of checking the bulbs and wirings in the school precincts.

In particular, the ECs have been undertaking extensive preventive maintenance activities, including checking of their distribution transformers most especially the ones serving the schools and its nearby areas.

Perez likewise called on ECs to assign additional personnel like barangay electrician and coop lineman equipped with handheld radios and cellular phones to provide any assistance to each voting precinct. He also called for round-the-clock watch by the technical services department personnel.

The energy secretary also called on the public school teachers manning the polling centers ,including the poll watchers and those with official business during election day, to exercise restraint in bringing in appliances that may overload the school’s electric system, saying that the indiscriminate use of additional electric appliances may lead in the tripping of the school buildings’ electric circuits.

He urged poll watchers to bring their own lamps and flashlights in case the electric wiring system of a school building trips due to overloading from excessive use of electric appliances such as electric fans, rice cookers or stereo system during vote counting and canvassing.

Perez also asked school superintendents to pre-inspect their power circuit boxes and replace old fuses and bring spare fuses during election day and until the counting of votes are over.

Perez appealed to the public to cooperate and report to the proper authorities any suspected individual that may plan to disrupt power supply to prevent any suspicions and delays in the electoral process.