The Department of Energy (DOE) assured yesterday that the power supply in Siquijor would return to normal before the end of the year.

In a press conference following an activity in Sorsogon City, DOE Secretary Sharon Garin said that the government is committed to restoring electricity in the affected areas.

“This is a repeated concern of the President; he does not want the people of Siquijor to suffer because of inefficiencies in the electricity sector. We have set a deadline: by the end of the year, power supply should return to normal, and outages should no longer last four to eight hours,” Garin said.

She added that necessary measures are in place to meet the deadline.

“We are working on improving the looping distribution system. The synchronization of both sides and the maintenance of all generator sets need to be completed,” she said.

The DOE is also involved in a solar power project.

“We have an agreement with the local government to install solar panels on all provincial buildings. We have a schedule in place for this,” she said.

Garin added that the President’s instruction is to ensure these plans are executed.

Garin and other DOE officials are in Sorsogon City for the ceremonial inauguration of the P7 billion, 22-megawatt Tanawon Geothermal Power Plant by First Gen Corporation’s 100 percent renewable energy subsidiary, Energy Development Corporation (First Gen-EDC). (PNA)