Meralco customers hit by power outage down to 12,000

The number of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) customers hit by power outages due to the inclement weather conditions is down to 12,000 as of Wednesday morning, with the distribution utility firm now on full alert.

In an advisory, Meralco said most of the affected customers are located in Cavite, Metro Manila, and Bulacan, and are affected by flooding as of 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22. This is down from 29,000 customers as of 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22, and the peak of 167,000 customers as of 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

Meralco is now on full alert with the entry of Tropical Depression Dante, which has maintained its strength as it moves northwestward over the Philippine Sea. It is expected to continue bringing moderate to sometimes intense rains over Metro Manila and several provinces.

“We remain vigilant as we monitor the current weather conditions that affect our franchise area. We remain fully committed to restoring electricity service to all impacted customers as safely and swiftly as possible,” Meralco vice president Joe Zaldarriaga said.

“Along with the Department of Energy, we also reiterate our call to continue practicing caution and follow electrical safety guidelines, especially in flood-affected areas,” he added.

Meralco constructs, operates, and maintains electric distribution systems in the cities and municipalities of Bulacan, Cavite, Metro Manila, and Rizal, as well as certain areas in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, and Quezon.

The firm counts as subsidiaries and associates Vantage Energy Solutions and Management Inc. and MeridianX Inc., acting as retail electricity suppliers in Luzon and the Visayas. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News