Blackouts hit Cagayan de Oro, Misamis anew

MANILA, Philippines - Parts of Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental were hit by blackouts again since Monday.

The Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. Inc. (Cepalco) implemented four-hour daily rotating blackouts, citing the worsening power situation in Mindanao.

Marilyn Chavez, senior manager of the customer and community relations department of Cepalco, said they have been operating on reduced power supply.

Chavez said their supply further declined when the National Power Corp. reduced its allocation due to technical problems at the Agus plant.

In its advisory on Oct. 27, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said around 30 megawatts supplied by Agus 1 hydroelectric plant was isolated from the Mindanao grid as an uncooperative landowner refused to allow the NGCP to conduct line maintenance and repair activities within the property.

The NGCP said the plant was isolated from the grid at 9:14 a.m. on Oct. 27 when Agus 2 and Agus 1’s 138-kiloVolt tie line tripped.

“NGCP reiterates its appeal for the public’s cooperation and warns that right of way violations along transmission lines compromise not just the safety of the people, but also the security of the power grid. Because of Mindanao’s current power situation, the isolation of any power plant from the grid may result in more load curtailment during peak hours to allocate whatever power is available to the rest of the customers,” the NGCP said in its advisory. 

The franchise areas of Cepalco cover 65 barangays in Cagayan de Oro and the towns of Tagoloan, Villanueva and Jasaan in Misamis Oriental, including the 3,000-hectare Phividec Industrial Estate.