Siquijor: Stable electricity has been fully restored in the province of Siquijor following days of rotating brownouts, Malaca±ang said Sunday. The National Electrification Administration (NEA) completed the power restoration on June 14, one day ahead of the deadline set by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., according to a Palace news release.
According to Philippines News Agency, President Marcos personally intervened in the situation on June 11 and directed NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda to act without delay. Working closely with the Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative (Prosielco), NEA facilitated immediate repairs on the generation sets of the Siquijor Island Power Corporation (Sipcor). It also coordinated the transport and installation of a generator set from the Palawan Electric Cooperative (Paleco), while additional rented gensets from Sipcor further secured the supply.
These efforts brought Siquijor's total dependable power capacity to 11 megawatts (MW), exceeding its peak demand of 9 MW and providing 1.65 MW reserve for contingencies. NEA assured continued monitoring to maintain reliable electricity for residents, businesses, and schools in the province.
Department of Energy (DOE) officer-in-charge Sharon Garin attributed the significant improvement of the island's power situation to the combined efforts of the DOE, NEA, and the provincial government. 'We commend the swift and coordinated action of NEA, Sipcor, the provincial government of Siquijor and our partner electric cooperatives in bringing relief to the people of Siquijor,' Garin said in a news release. 'This is a clear demonstration of the government's commitment to ensure energy security and equitable access to electricity, especially in remote and island provinces.'
To further ensure the continuous power supply in the province, the DOE will closely monitor Sipcor's regulatory compliance with the Energy Regulatory Commission, the timely repair of its genset units, and the delivery of fuel supply. Sipcor has committed to meeting the minimum 10-day fuel inventory requirement within the next 10 days to ensure the continuous operations of all its generator sets.
The DOE will also sign a memorandum of agreement with the provincial government to provide technical assistance for the deployment of solar energy solutions in government buildings. It is closely coordinating with the National Transmission Corporation on the design and implementation of the looping configuration for Siquijor's transmission system, and Prosielco to ensure its seamless integration.