Stormy weather causes brownouts

DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines – A series of power outages hit several parts of Negros Oriental since Monday evening amid stormy weather even as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and the Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative 2 (NORECO 2) have been doing their best to restore power at the earliest time possible.

Elmer Cruz, NGCP’s regional corporate communications and public affairs officer for the Visayas, on Tuesday reported at least three power outages that triggered emergency shutdowns at different transmission facilities due to strong winds.

On Monday evening, parts of Negros Oriental plunged into darkness for about 30 minutes. after NGCP carried out an emergency shutdown of the Dumaguete-Bacong-Siaton 69kV transmission line to facilitate the trimming of a mango tree that leaned over the transmission lines at Barangay Pulantubig in the city, he said.

Portions of the NORECO 2 franchise areas were affected by the brownouts. On Tuesday, two power outages were also experienced in the NORECO 2 franchise area when tree branches touched NGCP transmission lines, said Cruz, adding that strong winds blew tree branches into the power lines at Brgy. Banilad in the city.  - THE FREEMAN