• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
After a massive power outage that lasted several days, the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative finally restored electricity at about 8:25 last night, NONECO area operations manager Atty. John Deles disclosed in his social media account.
The widespread blackout that started on August 28 affected member consumers of NONECO in EB Magalona and Victorias City, as well as portions of Manapla.
The restoration of power in three LGUs came after the installation of a 15 MVA transformer lent by Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) to NONECO was completed at its substation in Victorias City, and after the results of its testing was approved by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
NONECO partially restored power in EB Magalona Saturday early morning, after interconnection with CENECO power lines in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City.
Due to the total blackout, residents of Victorias City and E.B. Magalona town had to travel to neighboring local government units to charge their mobile phones and to buy water in refilling stations, among other needs.
“Day and night, the NONECO ‘Warriors of Light’ with the technical support team were constructing lines for interconnection of CENECO and NONECO,” the management said in an advisory.
On September 1, Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez distributed 12 gasoline-powered generator sets to the barangays.
Deles thanked CENECO, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and his son, Javi Benitez, NONECO Board of Directors led by Nicolas Camara, OIC general manager Dorothy Evangelista, as well as the media, for their support in accomplishing the power restoration.
The widespread blackout was blamed on the malfunction of NONECO’s 15MVA substation in Hacienda Bacayan, Victorias City, after a lightning strike.*
