Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) consumers in portions of Bacolod City were without power for around six hours last Tuesday, which the utility co-op recently blamed on “saturated bushing.” Bushing refers to an insulation device that allows for conductors to pass through a grounded barrier.
According to a Ceneco release, the incident took place at the 20 Megavolt-amp power transformer at the Mountainview Substation. The power circuit breaker was tripped around 11:37 a.m. and power was not restored until 5:42 p.m.
Last week, several areas across Iloilo were affected by a nearly seven-hour power interruption, which the Iloilo Electric Cooperative 1 (Ileco 1) blamed 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 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. the following morning./WDJ