Blackouts caused by a technical problem at Calaca 2 says DOE

In an interview in Umagang Kay Ganda reported in ABS-CBNNews.com, Department of Energy Secretary Jericho Patilla explains that the blackout that hit a large part of Luzon on May 8 was caused by the Calaca 2 power plant in Batangas. Calaca 2’s auto-shut off feature malfunctioned, causing six other power plants to shut down consecutively.

"Ang iniimbestigahan natin ngayon bakit hindi nag-auto-shut off [ang Calaca]," he stated. The auto-shut off mechanism is triggered when a power plant encounters a problem, allowing a back-up generator to start up to avoid power interruptions.

Petilla dismissed theories that the metro-wide power interruption was related to the upcoming election. He further said that an inspection has been conducted at Calaca 2 and that it is now, "ok."

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