(Eagle News) – Around 280 power outages have been reported since Sunday evening, May 8, with at least 20 power outages recorded on election day itself, May 9, 2022.
The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), the largest power distributor in the country, reported on the 20 power outages that happened on election day, while the National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported a total of 262 power interruptions since Sunday evening, from 7 p.m. of May 8 until 4 a.m. today, May 9.
The report came as millions of voters trooped to polling centers in the first-ever national and local elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
MERALCO spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said that the recent 20 power outages have been immediately addressed by their strategically-located crews that were specifically stationed in crucial areas to address such emergencies.
“As we speak, so far we registered zero outages, ibig sabihin naibalik na po sa mga lugar na walang kuryente [supply has been restored in areas that suffered power outages],” Zaldarriaga said in an interview over NET 25.
He also assured the public that MERALCO had already deployed ground personnel as well as mobile generator sets and emergency floodlights in case of emergency.
“There is no cause for concern,” the MERALCO spokesperson said, noting that MERALCO will “continue to monitor the situation and ensure that elections will go on uninterrupted in terms of electricy supply.”
Zaldarriaga said the 20 power interruptions recorded on election day were less than one percent of the total number of precincts and voting centers currently being monitored by MERALCO.
He said that incidents of power interruptions may be reported to MERALCO’s official Twitter account and other social media sites, as well as through hotline 16211.
— 262 power interruptions —
MERALCO’s statement on the 20 outages during election day came several hours after the National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported a total of 262 power interruptions since Sunday evening, May 8, particularly from 7 p.m. until 4 a.m. on Monday, May 9.
In its Twitter account, NEA reported that 69 electric companies experienced power interruptions, with an average duration of 60 minutes, even as it assured the public that these were being addressed.
“Mahigpit pa ring binabantayan ng NEA Power Task Force Election 2022 at ng 121 Electric Cooperatives ang sitwasyon ng supply ng kuryente sa bansa”, NEA said in a Twitter post.
“Tinitiyak din naming inaaksyunan agad ang mga insidente ng pagkawala ng supply ng kuryente,” it added.
(Eagle News Service)
