Power transmission services in Bohol have resumed after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) restored and energized the 138-kilovolt (kV) Ormoc-Maasin line 2 in Leyte on Easter Sunday evening.
The 138kV Maasin-Ubay line, which the Ormoc-Maasin line is connected to, was then energized on Monday morning. The Maasin-Ubay line hosts the Leyte-Bohol interconnection. Bohol, which is 60% dependent on Leyte for its power needs, was cut off from the Visayas Grid last Monday as Tropical Storm Agaton made the Ormoc-Maasin line unavailable.
Emergency Restoration Systems (ERS), which include temporary special towers, were installed to bypass the transmission towers of lines 1 and 2 of the Ormoc-Maasin connection, particularly in Baybay, Leyte. The towers were affected by landslides triggered by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Agaton.
Over 100 linemen and personnel were deployed and worked through the Holy Week to manually transport the ERS to the affected areas.
NGCP is currently working to restore line 1 of the Ormoc-Maasin connection. It is also planning the permanent restoration of the affected towers.
Bohol was previously cut from the Visayas Grid in December 2021 after Typhoon Odette toppled the two special towers on its mainland and on Lapinig Island. The province was then reconnected to the Visayas Grid after two months in February.
NGCP is looking to energize the two new permanent special towers in Bohol by April 30 – nine days before the May 9 presidential elections.
