Parts of Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Bohol experience power outage

There was power outage experienced in several cities and towns in the provinces of Cebu, Leyte, Samar, and Bohol late Friday evening, according to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

The NGCP posted on its social media account: Unscheduled power interruption affecting parts of Cebu, Leyte-Samar and Bohol on Aug. 20, 2021 at 11:56PM.

"NGCP will a report as soon as soon as all relevant data is consolidated."

In a separate social media post, the Visayan Electric Company Inc. (Veco), in an Emergency Power Outage Advisory said, "We apologize for the inconvenience. The whole of the VIsayan Electric Franchise is experiencing total blackout, " .

"Our System Operations Team are still coordinating with NGCP as of this moment."

According to the NGCP, Veco later reported, "there is limited power available in the grid."

By 4:56 a.m., the Cebu-based power utility company announced that power has been restored within its franchise.

"Power situation update: Power has been restored in the Visayan Electric Franchise."

As of 4:30 a.m., Veco reported that "Power is back in 80% of the areas in the franchise. Remaining areas still experiencing power outage will be energized as soon as possible."

Earlier, Veco said only three towns under its franchise were not affected by the blackout.

"Only some parts of Minglanilla, Naga and San Fernando in the Visayan Electric franchise currently have power," the company said in a separate post.

"The rest of the areas in the franchise have no power as of the moment. We are verifying information and will give updates as they come."

By 3 a.m. on Saturday, Veco reported that power at the Vicente Sotto Medical Center in Cebu City has been restored.

There are parts of Mandaue City, the town of Consolacion that have been energized.

"We are waiting for updates from NGCP on the restoration of power in other areas in the franchise," the company said.

The clients of Veco are from the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay, Naga and the towns of Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla and San Fernando.

Kepco-SPC issued a statement to call out as fake news the video of their coal-fired power plant in Naga City, Cebu on fire.

A technical team from the plant, meanwhile, is conducting an investigation on the issue.  -- BAP, GMA News