FILE

After Severe Tropical Storm Kristine left parts of Luzon in the dark, the energy sector has rolled up its sleeves and sprung into action, bringing light—and hope—back to affected communities. With floodwaters finally receding in some areas, teams of linemen, engineers, and technical experts have been working round the clock to get the power back on, one connection at a time.

From Northern and Southern Luzon to the Bicol region, dedicated crews from electric cooperatives, the National Power Corporation (NPC), and private utility companies like Meralco, have joined forces in a massive recovery effort. Their tasks range from clearing debris and repairing power lines to conducting patrols and rebuilding substations damaged by the storm. The immediate focus has been on ensuring that hospitals and other vital institutions get their power restored first, with teams pulling out all the stops to speed up the process.

As of October 25, 2024, four of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines' (NGCP) 69 kV transmission lines are still down, affecting electric cooperatives in Pangasinan, Camarines Sur, and Batangas. While Batangas I Electric Cooperative remains completely offline, 45 other cooperatives are dealing with partial outages as efforts to bring the grid back to life continue.

On the generation side, the Calaca Power Plant has been out of commission since October 24, leading to a capacity shortfall of 420 MW. Fortunately, the plant is slated to resume operations by Sunday, October 27, bringing much-needed relief to the grid.

Meanwhile, Meralco is racing against time to restore electricity to the remaining 419,012 customers still without power—a marked improvement from the over 580,000 households initially affected. The utility company aims to complete its restoration efforts by Sunday, as conditions across the franchise area improve.

The collective response is more than just technical work; it’s a display of bayanihan—Filipino community spirit at its finest. Under the leadership of the Department of Energy and the Task Force on Energy Resiliency, a coalition of government agencies, private companies, and NGOs have come together, shoulder to shoulder, to bring life back to the storm-ravaged regions.

For the tireless men and women of the energy sector, the mission doesn’t end until every home and business is lit up again. As they push forward in challenging conditions, they carry with them the promise of a brighter, more resilient future for Luzon.