Latest NAIA power outage due to grounding conductors attached to electrical equipment

The most recent power outage that hit the Ninoy Aquino International Airports’ (NAIA) Terminal 3 last Friday was due to an electrical fault caused by grounding conductors which were accidentally left attached to electrical equipment, according to the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

In a statement released Sunday, Meralco Spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said the grounding conductors were accidentally left attached by personnel of MServ, a wholly owned subsidiary of Meralco which was conducting testing activities at the NAIA Terminal 3.

“We would like to apologize for the inconvenience the power interruption last Friday caused,” he said.

“We also assure MIAA, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the commuting public that measures are being undertaken to prevent a similar incident from happening again,” he added.

Meralco said the electrical fault was triggered at 12:50 p.m. on Friday, June 9, 2023. Power was then restored at 1:29 p.m. the same day.

The testing activities conducted by MServ are part of the comprehensive technical audit, which aims to determine the equipment needed to make the terminal’s power system reliable and resilient, following at least two power outages during major holidays.

A “fault current” was said to have caused the power outage in the same terminal on Labor Day, affecting some 9,000 passengers, mostly on domestic flights with some international flights delayed.

On New Year’s Day, at least 282 flights were canceled, diverted, or delayed, affecting 56,000 passengers due to an outdated system.

Moving forward, Meralco recommended the strict implementation of toolbox meetings with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and MServ before any activity, along with a thorough joint inspection of the work area before the energization of facilities being tested.

The latest mishap comes amid talks of privatizing NAIA after a consortium of six Filipino conglomerates and US-based Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) formed the Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC) to submit an unsolicited proposal to upgrade the NAIA through a public-private partnership (PPP).

The DOTr said it targets bidding for the project by September and expects to start by the first quarter of 2024. — DVM, GMA Integrated News