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Power line maintenance needed in Taal eruption-affected areas

By Kris Crismundo

January 25, 2020, 9:07 am

<p><strong>POWER LINES MAINTENANCE.</strong> Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, in a press briefing at the DOE office in Taguig City on Friday (Jan. 24, 2020), notes the importance of maintaining transmission and distribution lines to immediately restore power services once the situation in Taal volcano normalizes. The power supply in some areas within the volcano's danger zone was ordered suspended by the NDRRMC to discourage affected residents from returning to their houses. <em>(PNA photo by Kris Crismundo)</em></p>

POWER LINES MAINTENANCE. Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, in a press briefing at the DOE office in Taguig City on Friday (Jan. 24, 2020), notes the importance of maintaining transmission and distribution lines to immediately restore power services once the situation in Taal volcano normalizes. The power supply in some areas within the volcano's danger zone was ordered suspended by the NDRRMC to discourage affected residents from returning to their houses. (PNA photo by Kris Crismundo)

MANILA – The Department of Energy (DOE) is leaving the decision to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to allow its personnel to enter and conduct transmission and distribution line maintenance in areas that have been on lockdown due to Taal Volcano's continuing unrest.

In a press briefing at the DOE office in Taguig City on Friday, DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said Task Force Energy Resiliency was following directives from the NDRRMC to suspend power services in areas on lockdown, so as not to encourage residents to return to their properties within the danger zone.

“We will leave it to the Council because they are in the best position. They are in (a) better position to say we can enter or not, or which areas we can take actions,” Fuentebella said in Filipino.

But this also means that personnel of Task Force Energy Resiliency that will maintain transmission and distribution lines are not allowed to enter the danger zone.

Fuentebella said it is necessary that transmission and distribution lines are being kept to assure that electricity services would be immediately restored once the situation in Taal Volcano normalizes.

He explained that the flow of electricity trips when transmission wires are covered in ashes.

These transmission lines’ condition would worsen when it drizzles because the ash would stick to wires like cement, affecting the delivery of electricity services, he added.

Fuentebella said task force personnel have to reach these areas to clean and maintain transmission and distribution lines so that there would be no lull in bringing electricity services back once the NDRRMC orders to power up a certain area.

Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) was able to restore its lines and circuits in areas affected by the ashfall from the volcano's eruption on January 12.

Meralco was able to bring back electricity services to 180,000 customers because its lines and services were outside the 14-km. danger zone. (PNA)

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