NAVAL, Biliran — Residents of Higatangan Island celebrated their first Christmas and New Year with 24-hour electricity following the completion of a decade-long project to connect the tourist destination to the main power grid via submarine cable.

The Higatangan Submarine Cable Project was officially energized 22 December, replacing a diesel generator system that previously provided only eight hours of power per day.

“This is the realization of our long dream,” said Biliran Rep. Gerardo Espina Jr. “It is a promise fulfilled for our community — bringing brighter homes, safer streets, and a more comfortable holiday season.”

The project involved installing 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) of submarine distribution lines from Calubian town to the island. Espina, who introduced the legislation for the project during the 19th Congress, said reliable power is essential for the island’s status as a designated Tourism Development Area.

Higatangan, a fishing village composed of two barangays, is known for its shifting sandbar and rock formations. The island recently gained international attention as a stop for the Australian cruise ship Coral Geographer.

Prior to the grid connection, the Biliran Electric Cooperative struggled with high fuel costs and maintenance for the island’s diesel generators, which typically ran only from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.