Baguio City (CNN Philippines) — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has scheduled an 11-hour power outage from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday (April 13) that will affect Mt. Province and almost all areas of Benguet.
In an advisory released by NGCP, the power outage will affect Baguio City and parts of Benguet which are serviced by the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO).
All areas serviced by the Mt. Province Electric Cooperative (MOPRECO) will also be affected.
Around 200,000 power consumers are serviced by the two electric franchises.
A similar power outage will again affect parts of Benguet on Friday (April 15) from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the grid operator.
The blackout is to give way for NGCP’s annual preventive and corrective maintenance of its substation equipment, simultaneous with its transmission line maintenance.
Related: Power supply in Luzon back to normal
Businesses run as usual
Despite the 11-hour blackout, businesses ran as usual in Benguet, particularly in tourist-filled Baguio City.
Generators roared along Baguio’s Central Business District, providing temporary power to most establishments.
In nearby La Trinidad, the power outage had virtually no effect over the operations of the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post, which supplies over 85 percent of the country’s daily vegetable demand.
According to BENECO, their early announcement about the blackout gave residents and business establishments enough time to prepare.
Even small eateries that could not afford generators made use of gas-powered lamps to keep business going, while establishments without generators simply advised their customers to come the next day.
Power was restored at exactly 6 p.m., as advised by NGCP.
