Parts of Cebu lose power due to shortage

CEBU, Philippines - Some parts in Cebu City and Mandaue City experienced brownouts yesterday due to power shortage.

 According to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (formerly the National Transmission Corporation) Cebu dropped load by 13.2 megawatts at 10:09 a.m. yesterday morning, affecting Visayan Electric Company franchise areas.

 In the afternoon, Cebu dropped load by 16.4 megawatts at 1 p.m. affecting VECO at 10.4 MW; Cebeco2 at 2 MW; Taiheiyo at 2 MW and MECO at 2 MW. These were all restored at 2:47 p.m.

 NGCP corporate communications officer for Visayas Belinda Canlas said that load reduction or load shedding has been implemented owing to generation deficiency experienced by the Cebu-Negros-Panay Grid.

 Canlas added that load shedding is resorted to as some power plants are not running on full capacity.

 VECO spokeswoman Ethel Natera said that areas affected in Cebu City were in Punta Princesa, Sambag I and II, part of Guadalupe, Labangon, Buhisan, and most of Tisa.

 Other areas affected are in Banilad in Mandaue City and in other parts of Cebu City like Talamban, Budlaan, San Jose and Upper Apas.

 In the evening VECO encountered an emergency interruption in Kamagayan, F. Ramos St., Sikatuna, around P. del Rosario, Parian and T. Padilla due to confetti that got entangled on a primary line. However, power in these areas was restored after 30 minutes. -Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)