MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Lightning was blamed for the blackout that affected parts of the Visayas, including Cebu Island, shortly before midnight on Friday, August 20.
“A lightning strike to NGCP’s Cebu-Quiot-Colon line just before midnight last night caused power interruptions across Cebu, Leyte, Samar, and Bohol,” read a statement from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
“Efforts to restore power transmission services to affected power customers began immediately, with the first loads restored at 12:52 AM. Almost all feeders were energized by 5:48AM.”
NGCP said they continued to work to also restore the loads for the electric cooperative in Leyte.
“NGCP is expediting the re-energization of its Isabel Substation, which serves parts of Leyte under LEYECO V,” the statement added.
During their investigation, NGCP found out that a lightning strike caused the simultaneous tripping of the Colon-Cebu 138kV Lines 1, 2, and 3 and the Colon-Quiot 138kV Line, which triggered the power interruption.
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