By Liezle Basa Iñigo
A massive power outage was experienced across eight provinces in Northern Luzon as typhoon “Rosita” began pounding Cagayan Valley Region on Tuesday.
National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) Corporate Communications Officer Melma Batario identified the areas where power had been cut off as the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao, Nueva Vizcaya, and Pangasinan.
(Liezle Basa Inigo/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Batario said transmission lines were affected by the typhoon’s onslaught, causing the power outage which happened between 11:24 p.m. Monday and 5:26 a.m. Tuesday.
At 3 p.m., Batario assured that the problem has been isolated and that it was already being attended to.
Specifically, the transmission lines affected by the power failure were the Tuguegarao-Magapit 69kv Line, Magapit-Camalaniugan 69kV Line, Magapit-Sta. Ana 69kV Line, and Tuguegarao-Tabuk 69kV Line in Cagayan.
Also affected were the Gamu-Roxas 69kV Line, Santiago-Cabatuan-Alicia 69kV Line, Santiago-Batal 69kV Line, Santiago-Cauayan 69kV Line, Tuguegarao-Cabagan 69kV Line, and Gamu-Ilagan-Naguilian-Reina Mercedes 69kV Line in Isabela.
Batario said inspection and restoration of lines in the affected areas will be in full swing as soon as the weather allows it.
In Pangasinan, NGCP Regional Spokesperson Ernest Vidal confirmed that nine areas also suffered a power interruption.
These were the towns of Bugallon, Aguilar, Mangatarem, Urbiztondo, Binmaley, San Carlos City, Malasiqui, as well as parts of Lingayen and Basista.
Dam discharge
Meanwhile, the San Roque Dam in Pangasinan released water before noon, relative to the spilling from Ambuklao and Binga Dams.
The National Power Corporation (Napocor) confirmed that San Roque Dam’s gate was opened at 11 a.m., but assured that the dam discharge will not cause flooding in the flood warning zone along the Agno River.
It said the pre releasing of water was for the purpose of lowering the elevation at the reservoir in anticipation of the expected heavy inflow due to rains brought by typhoon Rosita.