Batanes fuel stock to last for only 12 days

BASCO, Batanes ,Philippines  – The province’s stock of diesel fuel to run its generators that provide electricity is down to only 36,000 liters, enough to provide electricity for only 12 more days at a reduced operation of 10 hours a day.

Since a week ago, the operating hours of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) generators have been reduced to only 10 hours a day.

The generators are switched on at 12 noon and switched off at 10 p.m.

In the island municipalities of Sabtang and Itbayat, electricity is only available for only six hours a day.

The situation will last until Sept. 6, the run-out date the Napocor has given itself to operate its generators. That means, without additional fuel, the entire province will go into total darkness from that date.

While Napocor still has a balance of 100,000 liters from its first semester allocation of 800,000 liters, this has yet to be delivered from Manila.

However, the hauler cannot promise if he can deliver the stock by next week. The situation is compounded by the unpredictable weather this time of the year.

Sept. 6 is also the date set by Napocor for haulers to bid for the transport of the second semester supply of 800,000 liters. The winning bidder will also have to face the prospects of unpredictable weather.

Weather this time of the year is usually not calm as a consequence of the west monsoon and easterly winds that converge in extreme northern Luzon.