Power outages hit 11 provinces in Luzon amid onslaught of Super Typhoon Nando

ELEVEN electric cooperatives in Luzon have experienced power interruptions amid the onslaught of Super Typhoon Nando (international name: Ragasa), according to the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

In an update on Monday, NEA said that Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO) and Batanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. had to manually shut down operations for safety purposes.

Partial power interruptions were reported in several areas, including parts of Batangas, Benguet, Cagayan, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Occidental Mindoro, Mountain Province and Pangasinan.

NEA said that 387 out of 486 municipalities are energized, while restoration efforts are ongoing for 355,579 consumer connections.

Meanwhile, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said that three transmission lines were unavailable, affecting customers of ABRECO and Cagayan II Electric Cooperative, Inc.

The lines affected are the San Esteban-Bangued 69kV Line, Lal-lo-Sta. Ana 69kV Line, and the Magapit-Camalaniugan 69kV Line.

“Inspection and restoration of lines in the affected areas will be in full swing once the weather allows,” the grid operator said.

Nando, with sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 295 kph, made a landfall over Panuitan Island in Calayan, Cagayan on Monday afternoon, according to the 5 p.m. bulletin by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration.

The super typhoon is forecasted to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Tuesday morning. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera