Typhoon damage to power co-ops hits P369.821M

By Angelica Y. Yang – November 9, 2020 | 7:36 pm
from Business World

THE estimated cost of damage sustained by electric cooperatives due to Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) has climbed to P369.821 million, according to the National Electrification Administration (NEA) on Monday.

It said 1.3 million affected households or 62.68% have had their power restored, leaving some 780,597 households still without access to electricity, many of them in the Bicol region.

The NEA reported that power has been restored in 14 municipalities in Camarines Norte and Sorsogon as of Monday afternoon.

The power situation in Masbate, including Ticao Island, and the Calabarzon Region is normal, according to the NEA.

In a separate advisory, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said that its transmission lines and facilities are operating normally.

METRO MANILA’S DISTRIBUTION UTILITY
Asked about the impact of Typhoon Rolly on Manila Electric Co., Meralco Head of Utility Economics Lawrence S. Fernandez said power supply and demand both fell.

“For a few days, both supply and demand were affected. They were both reduced by Typhoon Rolly pero after that, nag normalize (but after that, they have since normalized),” Mr. Fernandez said in a briefing Monday.

“On the supply side, there were several power plants that were affected… Nagbaba sila ng output (they reduced output) in preparation for the arrival of the typhoon. On the demand side, bumaba rin sa Meralco system (it also fell within the Meralco system) for a few days as Typhoon Rolly passed through the Meralco service area,” he added.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT, Inc., Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.