The Department of Energy (DOE) has urged electricity providers and fuel companies to boost their defenses as Tropical Depression Opong, expected to intensify into a typhoon, will bring heavy rainfall and strong winds in several regions in Luzon and Visayas within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella, chair of the the Task Force on Energy Resiliency, said the agency is prioritizing efforts to protect power lines and secure fuel logistics in anticipation of the storm.
“The most important thing is to reinforce power lines in high-risk areas, enabling them to better withstand the impact of storms and minimize service disruptions.
“Fuel supply must also be secured, drawing from our experience from Tropical Cyclone Kristine last year, wherein the consistent heavy rainfall resulted in severe flooding and affected the fuel supply chain in Bicol,” Fuentebella explained.
He stressed that modernizing transmission and distribution networks to handle wind speeds of up to 280 kilometers per hour is crucial. Mapping both primary and alternative fuel transport routes is also needed to avoid shortages in the event of floods.
According to him, such proactive measures are central to strengthening the country’s energy backbone and protecting households and businesses from prolonged outages during natural disasters.
The DOE also reported that rehabilitation is ongoing in several provinces still recovering from Super Typhoon Nando. Electricity remains partially unavailable in 13 electric cooperatives, including those in La Union, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Abra, Cagayan I and II, Batanes, Zambales I, Peninsula, and Batangas II.
