The Philippine energy sector is fully prepared to provide a stable electricity supply during the upcoming national and local elections on Monday. This assurance comes from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) as they work closely with electric cooperatives (ECs) to guarantee smooth operations on election day.
Energy sector fully prepared for elections
Engineer Ernesto Silvano Jr., NEA deputy administrator for technical services, shared that the agency has been proactive in coordinating with the 121 ECs under its supervision. “Ang Philippine energy sector, sa pamamagitan ng Energy Task Force Election or ETFE… ay fully prepared para tiyakin na stable at sapat ang supply ng kuryente sa darating na eleksyon bukas,” he stated in an interview.
Before the elections, the agency issued directives for preventive and corrective maintenance on distribution lines and facilities. They also ordered line clearing and thorough inspections, especially for feeders connected to voting centers.
NEA and electric cooperatives on standby
Both the NEA and the ECs remain on high alert. Silvano emphasized, “Ang NEA at ang mga ECs ay naka-standby at mahigpit na nagmo-monitor para masigurong tuloy tuloy ang supply ng kuryente lalo na ngayong papalapit na ang eleksyon.” This means continuous monitoring to prevent any interruptions.
Since May 5, seventy-two personnel have been on call with 24/7 power monitoring. The NEA has been running two shifts daily and will increase to three shifts on Sunday, May 11, and on election day, May 12.
Quick response teams and outage handling
Silvano urged all electric cooperatives to maintain close coordination and ensure their quick response teams are ready to address any issues swiftly. In case of unexpected outages, an interruptible load program (ILP) might be enacted to manage power distribution effectively.
For the public, Silvano advised, “Sa publiko naman po, mag-report kaagad kung meron mang ganong outage para po matugunan ng EC at kung sino mang agency and kailangang tumugon doon sa ganong sitwasyon.” Prompt reporting will help agencies respond quickly and minimize disruptions.
With these measures in place, the Philippine energy sector aims to support a smooth and uninterrupted election process for all voters.