ILOILO CITY – A massive power blackout hit Panay Island as well as the island province of Guimaras Wednesday, July 6, disrupting the lives of people and businesses who were about to start their day.
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), which transmits power from power generators to power distributors, automatically shut off its lines after detecting a disturbance as part of its protection system.
“At 6:55 a.m. of 6 July 2022, NGCP monitored a system disturbance which involved the tripping of the Negros-Panay submarine cable and isolation of the Panay sub-grid,” NGCP said in a statement.
The system disturbance of NGCP cut off supply to power distributors in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo as well as Iloilo City.
“NGCP is investigating the root cause of the incident,” NGCP added.
Before the announcement from NGCP, consumers initially blamed the various power distributors.
But Antique Electric Cooperative Inc. (ANTECO), Aklan Electric Cooperative Inc. (AKELCO), Capiz Electric Cooperative Inc. (CAPELCO), Guimaras Electric Cooperative Inc. (GUIMELCO), the three Iloilo Electric Cooperatives Inc. (ILECOs), and MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) of Iloilo City had to issue separate statements clarifying the matter.
While NGCP was able to restore its submarine cable, the restoration of power services varied across five provinces and Iloilo City.
Power temporarily went back on several times, but had to be shut down due as power plants take time to be in full capacity.