NATIONAL Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on Thursday said it energized the Unidos-Caticlan 69-kilovolt (kV) Line at 1:31 p.m. on Feb. 13, completing restoration work ahead of its March 2026 target and fully normalizing power transmission services in parts of Aklan province. The company said through a disclosure that transmission services for the Caticlan and Boracay substations of Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco) have returned to regular configuration following the connection of the new Caticlan 69kV XLPE underground cable and the rehabilitation of the entire Unidos-Caticlan 69kV Line. A temporary bypass line installed to maintain services during the rehabilitation has been safely disconnected, NGCP added. To speed up the project, NGCP deployed 24 line gangs from other parts of the Visayas and South Luzon, noting that the line runs through mountainous terrain with structures spanning ridge to ridge, while unfavorable weather brought by Tropical Storm Basyang and limited working hours in compliance with safety regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines added to the challenges. Despite these constraints, the company said the project was completed safely and ahead of scheduled Asean Summit activities in March and the summer peak season in Boracay. “We are proud to have restored the Unidos-Caticlan 69kV Line ahead of schedule despite various challenges and limitations. This is testament to the dedication of NGCP to ensure the reliability of transmission services in Aklan, particularly in the areas of Caticlan and Boracay, a vital tourist hub for the country,” NGCP said. Before NGCP assumed operations, the Unidos-Caticlan 69kV Line was under the operation and maintenance of Akelco, and in September 2025 the cable sustained significant damage. Akelco later acknowledged its inability to finance the required repairs, prompting the Energy Regulatory Commission to issue a resolution in October 2025 transferring responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the line to NGCP. Upon turnover, NGCP said it conducted a comprehensive assessment and found that about 88 percent of identified defects were corrosion-related due to prolonged exposure to harsh marine conditions, prompting immediate corrective measures and a rehabilitation program to address structural weaknesses and restore the integrity of the line. The restoration works were initially projected to require six shutdowns, but these were reduced to four scheduled outages conducted on Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 12 and Feb. 13 to minimize inconvenience to affected consumers. NGCP said it is continuing work on the Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay 138-kV Interconnection Project, targeted for completion by August 2026, which is expected to provide stronger capacity and enhanced reliability of power supply for Aklan and nearby areas.