VECO gets power feed from Luzon

CEBU, Philippines - The Visayan Electric Company (VECO) is now getting power feeds from Luzon plant addressing power outages brought by super typhoon Yolanda.

This is the reason why no rotational brownout was experienced yesterday according to VECO Chief Operating Officer Sebastian Lacson.

“Hopefully going forward into the future that this will continue. Kanang gikan sa Luzon (power feed) nakatabang gyod ngano wala ‘y brownout,” Lacson said.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday convened the different stakeholders like the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), VECO, and other agencies to get their consensus on how to reduce power outages in Cebu City.

In yesterday’s power command conference, Rama said the stakeholders agreed to stabilize the power supply in Cebu through shared power feeders.

“We received a clear message from NGCP that in terms of power availability bahin-bahin para ma guarantee nga walay brownout,” Rama said.

Rama said stabilizing power supply is the top priority of the city government as different events like Christmas and the Sinulog are fast approaching.

“What will happen to Christmas and Sinulog kun taod-taod siga ug brownout, it can no longer be a lively atmosphere, “ Rama said.

However, Lacson said there is yet no assurance that the power supply from Luzon plant will continue feeding to all VECO franchise areas.

“Walay assurance nga walay rotational brownout kay kanang feed could be today naa and ugma wala,” Lacson said adding that VECO has no reserve power plant to solve rotational brownout.

It will take a maximum of one year to address this power outages said Rama, when he asked VECO during the discussion.

One third of VECO’s power supply sourced from Negros-Panay Grid, however two plants were damaged in the midst of the typhoon causing rotational brownout.

The stakeholders will again meet on Friday morning to further discuss the power situation.

Meanwhile, VECO cannot grant the request of the City Council to exempt barangays with night high schools not to experience rotational brownout.

“Maglisod ta kay di man ka-identify ang feeders nga kani pang night school,  sagol man ang feeders, so we are bordering on the impossible to implement such request,” Lacson said. (FREEMAN)