This photo was taken at the Holiday Oceanview Resort during the visit of President Benigno Aquino III in the Island Garden City of Samal in Barangay Camudmud, Island Garden City of Samal in September last year. (davaotoday.com file photo by Ace R. Morandante)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Government is considering an over-head distribution line as an option for power-isolated resort Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos), the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) said on Thursday, April 7.
ERC commissioner, Atty. Josefina Patricia M. Asirit, told Mindanao journalists attending the Energy ERC Continuing Regulatory Education for Stakeholders that replacing the damaged submarine cable may also become an option “but the problem is the traffic in the port area”.
Asirit did not further elaborate on the overhead transmission, but explained that it was difficult to install a new submarine cable as a mode to supply electricity from the mainland Mindanao grid. “We cannot prevent accidents,” Asirit said.
She said preliminary evaluation of the damaged, submarine cable indicated that it was not already repairable. Samal island lost its electricity last March 17 when cargo vessel MV Ecuador hit the submarine cable managed by Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Daneco).
For the meantime, Asirit said that Daneco started to operate the modular generator set last week to resupply the whole island. “We actually encourage them to file necessary application and inform the ERC on the emergency nature of such procurement,” Asirit said.
“Right now, (in the island) the peak demand is I think six megawatts, that are now being served by generators that were installed in the island,” Asirit said. She also confirmed that the use of generator set in the island will not be the cause of electricity hike in IGACOS.
“It is a generation mix, it will be shared by the entire consumer-based of DANECO,”Asirit said.
Asirit demanded to file cases against the cargo vessel that cause the damage of the submarine cable. (davaotoday.com)
