Project Re-Dew upcycles used PET plastic bottles into a resin that binds Typhoon Odette wreckage to create works of art inspired by iconic locations within Siargao’s surfing community. Handout, File

MANILA — Siargao Island will have rotational brownouts until at least next Friday as the local electric cooperative brings in generator sets to address loss of power due to a damaged submarine cable.

A 4-megawatt genset was commissioned on Saturday morning, which will give four of the island’s eight municipalities around six hours of electricity, Janis Medina-Reginio of the Surigao del Norte Public Information Office said.

Speaking on Teleradyo Serbisyo on Saturday morning, Reginio said Siargao Electric Cooperative Inc. has borrowed gensets from other power companies to meet the islands’ 16-MW energy requirement.

“By next week, may darating na 8-MW genset, by December 18. And then another 4-MW,” she said.

She said tourists planning to visit Siargao are advised to delay travel until after December 20, when the gensets are projected to be able to produce enough electricity for normal life to resume.

Siargao is top PH destination for slow travel — booking platform

Siargao has eight municipalities on the main island and another on nearby Bucas Grande Island.

Reginio said the blackout has “severely affected” tourism on the island, which is a popular destination for backpackers and surfers, with 21 establishments closing operations until power returns.

Lack of power has meant lack of running water for the island, which gets most of its water from deep wells that need electricity to pump water to faucets.

“Severely affected yung General Luna. Sa ngayon kasi, only the big resorts have generators,” she said, adding generator sets are not designed for round-the-clock operations.

Surf-inspired art pieces showcased for Siargao’s recovery

She said repairs to the damaged submarine cable connecting the island to the Mindanao power grid and which was laid down in the 1990s are ongoing. — Jonathan de Santos, ABS-CBN News