Siquijor power restoration underway

Power supplier S.I. Power Corp. (SIPCOR) assured Siquijor residents and tourists that it is working to fully restore electricity in the province within the week as it ramps up efforts to address ongoing supply constraints.

In a statement on Tuesday, SIPCOR said it has completed corrective maintenance on one of its service units, adding 7,550 kilowatts to its total operating capacity. 

Another unit remains under evaluation and is expected to be back online by midweek. In the meantime, the company has rented an additional genset to cover the shortfall and help stabilize power within the week.

“Rest assured that we are exerting all our efforts to restore full power in the province as swiftly as possible. This matter is our top priority and we remain fully committed to ensuring the delivery of a steady and reliable power supply in all our served areas,” the company said.

As Siquijor gains traction as a rising tourist destination, the province continues to grapple with recurring power interruptions, a challenge common in many provincial areas.

In a separate statement, the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau of the Department of Energy confirmed that Siquijor’s power woes stem from a mix of technical, operational, and regulatory issues that prevent full utilization of SIPCOR’s installed 11.580 megawatts (MW) capacity.

The DOE-EPIMB said the province is experiencing rotational outages as demand, driven by economic activity and population growth, outpaces contracted supply. Only 8.816 MW is contracted to the Provincial Electric Cooperative of Siquijor (PROSIELCO), while peak demand has already hit 10.51 MW.

Following a site inspection in early May, the agency directed PROSIELCO to update its procurement and development plans to secure more supply. 

The National Electrification Administration, on the other hand, is coordinating the transfer of a 2 MW modular genset from Palawan, expected to arrive in Siquijor within the week.