INEC acting general manager Cipriano Martinez Dingras , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) announced a five-year plan to upgrade its distribution system to solve perennial power outages in the province, which is expected to cost around PHP3 billion. The average daily electricity demand of the cooperative’s 183,000 members rose to 67 megawatts from 40 megawatts due to El NiƱo phenomenon, acting general manager Cipriano Martinez said in a press conference at the INEC main office in Dingras said. “Whatever it takes, we will do that (upgrading of the system) to become efficient in distribution,” Martinez said, citing the plan to take out a loan from the National Electrification Administration (NEA). Engineer Jenner Pablo, INEC Construction, Operation and Maintenance Division manager, said at least three of their substations are nearly reaching 100 percent capacity and the other transformers are overloaded, hence, the need to make some adjustments to address the
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