Cusi wants power system hardened vs calamities

The Department of Energy (DOE) wants the local power industry to adapt, improve and be more proactive in ensuring the resiliency of the energy sector in the face of the onslaught of natural calamities.

In a statement, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the country’s power infrastructure would be “hardened” as he revealed that the DOE was updating the standard operating procedures and emergency response mechanisms of the sector to mitigate the impact of calamities.

“Disaster risk reduction is always a priority along with the immediate restoration of power during outages caused by natural calamities,” Cusi said. “We have to live by the new reality that typhoons, in particular, have become far stronger because of the effects of climate change.”

He said the best practices in disaster risk reduction being employed by various government agencies was being continuously overhauled, tweaked or upgraded to be more responsive in addressing today’s challenges.

“On the part of the DOE, we are reviewing the protocols to be followed by energy sector players, especially measures on climate change adaptation,” he said.

Cusi said the DOE had been strictly following the measures set by the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (Republic Act No. 10121) as implemented by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

He identified “Task Force Kapatid” as one of the measures employed by the energy family, through the supervision of the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

The task force facilitates the repair and rehabilitation of lines and the restoration of electric service during disasters in coordination with the NDRRMC.