BIZ BUZZ: When brownout strikes DOE briefing
Even the Department of Energy (DOE) office in Taguig City couldn’t escape electricity supply interruptions.
A sudden blackout hit the DOE’s office on Thursday just as Secretary Raphael Lotilla was conducting a press briefing.
Small emergency lights out, roller blinds up…
“We have enough reserves,” one reporter said in jest, seemingly echoing energy officials’ assurance to the public of sufficient power supply during the hotter months.
Representatives from the DOE could not immediately provide reasons for the brownout, but Lotilla jokingly said, “Now you can ask your Meralco (Manila Electric Co.) questions.”
To recall, Meralco and the DOE had a tiff over the delayed implementation of a power supply deal, with the former issuing a three-page response against an energy official.
Following this, the DOE made a surprise move by recalling one permit from Meralco’s power generation unit, with some spectators seeing this as “collateral damage.” Lotilla, himself, even floated a possible probe on Meralco’s alleged competition risks.
Meanwhile, although the brownout in the midst of a public spat wasn’t deliberate, the humor certainly wasn’t lost.
Officials later on noted that the power interruption was isolated to one building. Meralco said it was caused by “a blown fuse at the building.”
