POWER IS BACK. Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez (center) with personnel of Northern Negros Electric Cooperative after the 15 MVA power transformer loaned by the Central Negros Electric Cooperative was energized Sunday night (Sept. 3, 2023). By then power supply had been restored in Victorias and the towns of E.B. Magalona and Manapla after a six-day blackout caused by the breakdown of the original substation on the night of Aug. 28. (Photo courtesy of Javi Benitez Facebook page)
BACOLOD CITY – Electricity has been restored on Sunday night in three localities covered by the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) after a six-day massive power outage caused by the breakdown of the 15 megavolt amperes (MVA) substation in Victorias City.
In a statement, the Noneco management said the power transformer had been fully energized at 7:20 p.m., and about an hour later, power was supplied to the feeder line, reenergizing Victorias City as well as the municipalities of E.B. Magalona and Manapla.
“Almost all areas have been reenergized,” Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said Monday morning.
On Monday noon, Noneco initiated an hour-long emergency power interruption to facilitate the correction of some technical issues in the transformer.
To restore power supply in the affected areas, Noneco headed by OIC-general manager Ma. Dorothy Evangelista sought assistance from the neighboring Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) on August 31, which agreed to loan its 15 MVA transformer to Noneco.
The power transformer, which was transported from this city, arrived in Victorias City Saturday night.
“We extend our gratitude to (Bacolod City) Mayor Albee Benitez for facilitating contact with Atty. Arnel Lapore, the general manager of Ceneco. I personally called and asked for assistance,” the Victorias City mayor said.
Power interruption was first reported in the three localities when the substation malfunctioned on a stormy evening on Aug. 28 and while power was restored early morning on Aug. 29, another power outage took place a few hours later and eventually lasted for several days.
While the entire Victorias and E.B. Magalona experienced a blackout, only a part of Manapla lost power supply.
Affected local government units then set up charging stations in public places and distributed generation sets to the villages as several residents went to neighboring cities of Silay, Talisay and Bacolod to get mobile phone and internet connections. (PNA)
