Leading energy firm Aboitiz Power Corporation is stepping up efforts to restore power supply in typhoon-battered Cebu province, prompting it to switch on its oil-fired plant in the city so it can bring back electricity service for consumers in the area.

“In response to the affected communities’ need for immediate power restoration, Aboitiz Power deployed a team to energize its oil-fired power plant, operated and managed by its subsidiary, Cebu Private Power Corporation (CPPC),” the company has emphasized in its statement to the media.

The power firm explained that as transmission lines and substation assets had been severely damaged by typhoon Odette last week, “transporting electricity from generators to distribution utilities and communities continues to be a challenge.”

But since the CPPC plant is situated right into Cebu City’s heart and embedded into the load network of Visayan Electric Company (VECO), the facility “has the unique capability to deliver power directly to VECO circuits and its customers.”

According to Aboitiz Power, four of the power generator units of CPPC had started delivering 18 megawatts of electricity supply directly to VECO as of the morning of Sunday, Dec. 19, and that provided critically-needed electricity services in priority areas – primarily in hospitals, government facilities and the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) pumping stations.

“CPPC expects more of its power generator units to operate in the next 24 hours, aiming to double power output to 36MW,” Aboitiz Power said.

Raul Lucero, VECO chief operating officer, indicated that “the initial power output from CPPC is very limited and will be sent to hospitals like CCMC (Cebu City Medical Center), Vicente Sotto, Chong Hua and Perpetual Succor; as well as to MCWD so that water supply can be restored, and to the Cebu Provincial Capitol.”

He qualified until the time that system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) restores full power transmission services, “the electricity supply situation in Cebu City will likely remain inadequate.”

Given the wobbly predicament of the Cebuanos as an aftermath of typhoon Odette’s hammering last week, the VECO executive appealed for “the public’s continued patience and understanding as we are doing our best to deliver electricity to our customers as soon as it is available.”

For his part, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama commended the efforts of CPPC and VECO “for the swift response to provide the much-needed power to our communities,” with him stressing that “this is very crucial to Cebu’s recovery from the impacts of the typhoon.”

It is also the local leader’s wish that the transmission lines and substation facilities of NGCP “can be fixed and operate at the required capacity as soon as possible, so that the power supply to VECO, our key infrastructure facilities and the people of Cebu can return to normal.”