After several areas across Iloilo were affected by a nearly seven-hour power interruption yesterday, Iloilo Electric Cooperative 1 (Ileco 1) blamed the incident on a lightning strike.
According to Ileco 1 general manager, Engr. Mike Paguntalan, lightning struck a bamboo tree in Cabatuan, which tripped the Sta. Barbara-Tigbauan 69 kilovolt (kV) line around 11:34 p.m. last Wednesday.
National Grid Power Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) Public Affairs Officer Michelle Visera said they encountered trouble connecting the co-op’s five substations, which affected customers in Cabatuan and Maasin; along with portions of Santa Barbara, Pavia, Igbaras, Guimbal, Tigbauan.
Power was restored around 6:00 a.m. yesterday morning.
Last October, thunderstorms knocked out power across parts of Negros Occidental.
NGCP claimed the Bacolod-San Enrique 69kV line was tripped after structures toppled in Barangay Taloc, Bago City, causing power outages in the city, along with Valladolid, Pulupandan, and San Enrique.
The Bago City government later confirmed the said structures were the Hilangban Feeders 1 to 4, which fell due to high winds./WDJ