Rural electrification projects face delays due to quarantine

By Adam J. Ang – June 30, 2020 | 8:25 pm
from Business World

THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) said around 187 rural electrification projects in rural communities are facing completion delays due to quarantine restrictions.

“Merong mga 187 sitios na hindi kaya dahil talagang nahuli na walang available na mga materyales tapos nung nag-lockdown hindi makabyahe ‘yung mga contractors (about 187 locations could not transport materials or were prevented from bringing workers in),” NEA Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong was quoted as saying in a statement Tuesday.

Projects in 457 sitios, a sub-unit of barangays, are currently under construction, out of about 841 due to be powered up under the government’s electrification program.

Earlier, NEA said the completion of the P153-million off-grid solar project that is set to power 5,000 households nationwide was also disrupted by the delayed delivery of solar panels.

Off-grid solar systems are due to be built in the coverage areas of five electric cooperatives: Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BISELCO), Camarines Sur IV Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASURECO IV), Iloilo III Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ILECO III), Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Inc. (COTELCO), and Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ZANECO).

The NEA estimates that 1.83 million households still without power in the Philippines.

It estimates the national electrification rate by number of households is 96%, or 13.71 million households out of the 14.34 million.