Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon urges the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (NAIA) private operator to implement immediate measures following recent power outages that affected three terminals over the weekend.
Inquirer reported that the outages occurred on Sunday, marking the first incident since New Naia Infra Corp. (NNIC) took over management of the airport in September 2024.
Dizon stressed that power interruptions, regardless of duration, must be resolved swiftly. He added that even a five-minute outage is already considered unacceptable, as the generator should kick in immediately.
Power interruptions lasted five minutes at Terminal 1, 24 minutes at Terminal 2, and one minute at Terminal 3.
Meanwhile, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Eric Ines attributed the incidents to a power overload from Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), which affected the terminals and NAIA’s airfield.
Ines said NNIC general manager Lito Alvarez was working on immediate solutions, with a MERALCO emergency response team stationed at Naia around the clock.
Dizon stressed that while the airport’s aging infrastructure poses challenges, the privatization agreement sets clear standards requiring power restoration within one minute.
He acknowledged NNIC’s ongoing efforts to address long-term power concerns, including plans to establish a direct connection to the national grid to better accommodate Naia’s power demands.
Dizon underscored the urgency of maintaining uninterrupted power supply at the country’s primary airport, calling on stakeholders to ensure swift and reliable solutions.
Should NAIA’s power system undergo a full modernization to prevent future outages? Share your thoughts in the comments below and follow Power Philippines for more updates on the country’s energy and infrastructure challenges!
There are no comments
Add yours