Understanding Meralco’s Scheduled Maintenance
Electricity reliability hinges on regular maintenance and upgrades to distribution facilities. Meralco periodically conducts these activities to enhance service quality, improve reliability, and integrate new technologies. When maintenance requires temporarily interrupting service, Meralco communicates the dates and affected areas in advance to help customers prepare.
What Does a Planned Outage Involve?
A planned outage is a controlled interruption designed to minimize risk and ensure safety during essential work. Crews may perform transformer work, line upgrades, substation maintenance, or network replacements. While Meralco aims to restore electrical service as scheduled, there are rare circumstances—such as severe weather or equipment issues—that can extend restoration times beyond the published window. Customers should stay informed through official notices and alerts.
How to Stay Informed
To get the latest information on scheduled maintenance in your area, you can contact Meralco’s Contact Center Operations:
- Phone: 16211
- Email: [email protected]
For faster resolution, have ready your Customer Account Number (CAN) or Service Identification Number (SIN) found on your electric bill. Providing these identifiers helps Meralco locate your account quickly and share precise outage timelines and restoration estimates.
What Customers Can Do to Prepare
- Plan ahead: Check the published schedule for your area and adjust plans that rely on uninterrupted power (e.g., medical devices, business operations, charging essential equipment).
- Secure perishables: If the outage affects refrigeration, minimize food waste by reducing opening and closing of refrigerators and freezers.
- Charge devices in advance: Ensure mobile devices, power banks, and backup equipment are charged before a planned outage begins.
- Backup power options: Consider alternative power sources if you depend on critical electrical equipment, and follow safety guidelines for generator use.
- Safety precautions: Treat all downed lines as potentially dangerous and report issues to Meralco immediately or via official channels.
What to Expect on the Day of the Outage
Outages occur exactly as scheduled in official communications. Meralco’s crews work to complete maintenance efficiently while maintaining safety standards. Once the work is finished and systems are tested, power is restored and services resume. If the restoration time changes, Meralco communicates updates through its channels as soon as they become available.
Why Maintenance Is Important
Maintenance activities help prevent unexpected outages, reduce system failures, and support the integration of new technologies into the distribution network. Regular upgrades also improve overall power quality, fault isolation, and customer experience over the long term. While temporary outages can be inconvenient, they are a necessary part of keeping the grid safe and reliable.
Stay Connected with Meralco
Customers are encouraged to regularly check Meralco’s notices and use the CAN or SIN when inquiring about outages. Meralco remains committed to transparency and prompt communication, balancing the need for uninterrupted service with the realities of network maintenance.
