Visayan Electric targets 100% restoration of power in its ‘Odette-hit’ franchise area by Jan. 31, 2022
VISAYAN Electric Company has forecasted its full restoration of power in its franchise area of more than 400,000 customers to reach 100 percent on January 31, 2022.
It also reported Cebu City and Naga City as the two local government units that suffered the most damage from Typhoon Odette (Rai).
In a press briefing on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, the electric utility firm said it has currently delivered electricity to 15.18 percent (74,920) of its total number of customers–474,182.
Visayan Electric said that it is targeting to energize 30 percent (142,255) of its total number of customers by Dec. 31; 80 percent (379,346) by Jan. 10, 2022; and 100 percent (474,182) by Jan. 31, 2022.
“This is an estimate of when we will finish. This projection is based on the workforce we have now. We are shouldering their lodging, meals, fuel, water and others because they gave us the labor,” Visayan Electric chief operating officer and president Raul Lucero said in Cebuano.
Manpower
At present, Visayan Electric has a total manpower of 725 personnel–216 are organic; 343, contractors; 166, distribution utilities from its sister company Davao Light, Manila Electric Company and others.
Lucero asked for patience and understanding from the public since they are doing all they can to fast-track the restoration efforts.
“Mas dali pang maghimo og bag-o kaysa mag-repair… Lisod kaayo mohatag og specific date kay ang degree of damage dili pareha,” he said.
(It is easier to construct a new one than doing repairs… It’s difficult to give a specific date because the degree of damage is not the same.)
Visayan Electric serves the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay and Naga, and municipalities of Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla and San Fernando.
There are 12 crews assigned in Cebu City, five in Naga City, five in Liloan, one crew in Consolacion, seven crew in Mandaue City, six crew in Talisay City, one crew in Minglanilla and one in San Fernando.
Lucero said they are also working on reenergizing all the hospitals in Cebu before the new year.
Visayan Electric has energized and restored 18 out of its 19 substations. The lone substation that hasn’t been restored yet is the one located in the Ayala area due to the huge damage to the power line.
Grace period
Visayan Electric said it will also have a grace period or no billing starting from Dec. 17 until Jan. 31, 2022. Consumers in areas that were early to get reenergized should expect a bigger bill compared to those who don’t have electricity yet.
As of 3 p.m., Dec. 26, Visayan Electric has energized areas near vital installations like portions of Natalio B. Bacalso Ave., Don Jose Avila St., Guadalajara Village, Guadalupe and 234 Gervacio Quijada St. in Cebu City, and portions of UN Avenue in Mandaue City.
Also in Mandaue City, Visayan Electric also energized portions of P.Ouano Road to Plaridel St. P.Ouano, Mandaue Causeway, portions of A.C Cortes Avenue and portions of S. Jayme St. to S.E. Llenes St.
Visayan Electric has also energized portions of Central Nautical Highway and Laray Road in Consolacion; portions of Rafael Rabaya Road in Talisay City; portions of Cebu South Road and Estaka and portions of Cebu South Road and Tres De Mayo in Minglanilla.
Visayan Electric was able to energize 74,920 out of the 474,182 affected customers, and restored 251 or 46.1 percent out of the 544 power line segments, within its franchise area on Sunday, Dec. 26.
The electric utility firm said restoration is taking longer in areas where Visayan Electric’s distribution facilities sustained heavy damage such as toppled poles, downed wires and damaged transformers.
Water supply
On the morning of Dec. 26, Visayan Electric energized a total of 18 Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) pumping stations.
As of 1:30 p.m. Dec. 26, MCWD also reported that it has supplied water to 53 percent of its franchise area through the use of generator sets, restoration of power by Visayan Electric and the turning on of pumps from its bulk water supplier.
More vital institutions, including hospitals, were energized.
In Cebu City, these are Cebu Doctors Hospital, Velez Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Cebu Puericulture and Maternity House, Miller Hospital, Cebu City Medical Center, Chong Hua Hospital, Perpetual Succour Hospital, Visayas Community Medical Center, St. Vincent Hospital, Allied Care Experts Medical Center, Cebu North General Hospital, St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, and ACE Medical Center.
In Mandaue City, power returned to the University of Cebu Medical Center, Chong Hua Hospital, and Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital.
Electricity also returned to Mendero Medical Center in Consolacion, Talisay District Hospital, and vaccination storage areas such as Vicente Sotto Vaccination Storage and DOH Region 7 Vaccination Storage.
Telecommunication company Globe Telecom said it has restored services in Mactan Airport Cebu, while Smart Communications said they are fully restoring services in Visayas and Mindanao.
“Customers may experience service quality issues in previously restored areas due to power limitations and transmission line breaks during clean-up operations,” Smart said in a statement.
In the Visayas, Smart reported it has restored 99 percent of its wireless and 62 percent of its fixed internet. (JOB)
