National Grid fully restores storm-hit lines

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines on Thursday announced that power transmission operations in North Luzon are back to normal operations after it successfully completed the restoration of lines affected by tropical storm Pepito.

The NGCP said the normalization of the Luzon grid came after the affected lines, Botolan-Candelaria and Mexico-Calumpit 69kV line, were fully restored at 7:08 p.m. and 7:11 p.m. respectively.

The said lines, which serve customers of the Zambales I Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Pampanga III Electric Cooperative, Inc. tripped at 5:47 p.m. and 1:22 p.m.

The NGCP, operator of the country’s transmission network said transmission services in other areas are under normal operations.

“The complete energization of all lines affected by typhoon Pepito concludes NGCP's monitoring for this weather disturbance. NGCP's Overall Disaster Command Center resumes normal operations as the weather disturbance poses no further threat to any NGCP facility,” it said.

The NGCP assured the public that it is continuously monitoring weather disturbances and is ready to activate its OCMC should there be any threat to its transmission facilities.

On Tuesday, it implemented the necessary preparations and precautions to minimize the impact of typhoon Pepito on transmission operations and facilities.

Preparations included ensuring the reliability of communications equipment, availability of hardware materials and supplies necessary for the repair of damages to facilities, as well as the positioning of line crews in strategic areas, to facilitate immediate restoration work.

NGCP’s Integrated Disaster Action Plan (IDAP) prescribes these and other procedures to ensure the readiness of all power transmission facilities expected to be affected by the passage of the weather disturbance.

Meanwhile, as of 10 a.m. on Thursday, the eye of Typhoon "PEPITO" was located based on all available data at 485 km West Northwest of Dagupan City, Pangasinan or 480 km West of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. However, it will continue to affect the Northern and Central Luzon, especially over the western portions of these areas. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will still be experienced over Batanes, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan.

The initial damage and losses brought by Pepito were reported in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon reached P67.57-M with volume of production loss of 4,672 metric tons, affecting 7,704 hectares and 5,998 farmers. The affected commodities were rice, corn, high value crops and livestock and poultry.

The DA Regional Field Offices in the affected regions have available 91,067 bags of rice, 3,825 bags of corn, and 384 kgs of assorted vegetable seed reserves to be distributed to the affected farmers who are ready to replant.

The DA said it would fast-track the delivery of interventions to affected farmers. The following assistance from the Department are available to farmers and fisherfolk affected include: 1) Quick

Response Fund for the rehabilitation of areas to be affected by the tropical cyclone; 2) Seed reserves from Regions II, III, and IV-A; 3) Survival and Recovery Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council and 4) Available funds from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation to indemnify affected farmers.