News update Power restored in 92% of Meralco areas; LRT, MRT services back

Some 24 hours after tropical cyclone "Basyang" (Conson) cut off power in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, the Manila Electric Co. said Thursday it has restored electricity in 92 percent of its franchise areas.

With the power restoration, the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit (LRT, MRT) systems, which depend on Meralco power, resumed service after being disabled for most of Wednesday.

"Malaki na ang improvement. As of 3 a.m. ang percentage restoration umabot na ng 92% kaunti na lang (This is a big improvement. As of 3 a.m. we have had a 92-percent restoration)," Meralco spokeswoman Teresa Adriano said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Meralco's franchise area includes Metro Manila, and parts of the provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Batangas, and Pampanga.

Adriano said they are still verifying reports of problems in "portions" of Marikina, Taguig, Pasay and Manila in the National Capital Region.

"Naging mabilis ang pag-restore natin ngayon. Expected natin aabutin 2 to 3 araw, this time after one day nasa 92% ang restoration natin (Our restoration is going quickly. We initially expected the blackout to last two to three days but now power has been 92 percent restored)," she said.

However, Adriano could not give an assurance Meralco can restore 100 percent power within Thursday.

"Di pa tayo makasisiguro… pero pinipilit natin (We cannot be sure of that, but we are doing our best)," she said.

Guillermo Redoblado, senior technical adviser of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, said 87 percent of load in Luzon had been recovered as of 6 a.m.

In a separate interview on dzBB radio, he said they expect to fully recover power load for Luzon within Thursday.

Back on railways

Following the restoration of power in most parts of Metro Manila, the LRT and MRT railway systems resumed services late Wednesday.

Radio dzBB reported the MRT-3 resumed operations at 7:54 p.m. Wednesday, after getting power back.

MRT-3 services areas between Taft Avenue in Pasay City to North Avenue in Quezon City.

The LRT-1, which services Monumento in Caloocan City to Baclaran, resumed operations from 8 to 11 p.m. Wednesday. — LBG