DOE working to restore power in three to five days in Visayas

July 8, 2017

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the department is trying to restore power within three to five days in  the quake-affected areas in the Visayas. A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Tacloban on Thursday where at least two people were killed and 72 injured. Cusi on Saturday conducted an aerial and ground inspection of various power plants, including geothermal facilities, that sustained damage from the magnitude 6.5 quake that recently hit the region. "I am hopeful that we can see a tremendous improvement in the delivery of energy services within three to seven days," said Cusi. Among the power plants inspected by Cusi are the 180 megawatt Majanandog geothermal power plant ; 230 megawatt Malitbog geothermal power plant; 120 megawatt Tongonan geothermal power plant; and 120 megawatt Upper Majiao geothermal power plant. These power plants have seven other optimizing plants in their system with an additional generation of 50 megawatt. Cusi received the following briefing from Energy Development Corp. (EDC) president Ricky Tantoco and vice president Lito Santos::

• The Majandog landslide, the damage to the Malitbog cooling tower, the destruction of the Tongonan plant and problems accessing Majiao.

The Tongonan facility sustained damages to its office, the plant itself and transformer. Out of the potential 120 megawatt, 40 megwatt is being targeted to be delivered within seven to eight days, another 40 megawatt by Sept. 1 and the last 40 megawatt within 50 days.

• The Tongonan geothermal power plant is directly connected to the 138 kilovolt transmission line which is operated by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines
•  The Malitbog geothermal power plant can deliver around 150 megwatt by July 11 to the areas of Samar and Ormoc City because it sustained minor damages. The Malitbog, Majanandog and Majiao geothermal power plants deliver electricity through the Marshaling Station which was likewise damaged by the earthquake DMS