Storms’ damage to electric co-ops facilities at P1.49 billion
By Lenie Lectura -January 23, 2020
from Business Mirror
Damage to electric cooperatives’ (ECs) facilities brought about by the recent typhoons reached P1.491 billion, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said Wednesday.
The NEA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (NEA-DRRMD) reported that P911.668 million was caused by Typhoon Tisoy (international code name Kammuri) and P579.464-million from Typhoon Ursula (international code name Phanfone). Both storms hit the country in December last year.
The NEA-DRRMD said most of the ECs in calamity-hit provinces are nearing the 100-percent status of reenergization target.
It said that around 25,300 households are still experiencing power outage, but this number is expected to drop as more ECs are about to complete all post-typhoon power restoration activities.
In areas devastated by Ursula, the Iloilo III Electric Cooperative Inc. has already reached 97.97 percent of its service reconnection goal, translating to around 90,008 households. “Only 1,869 residential customers under its franchise remain without power.”
The Aklan Electric Cooperative Inc. said it has brought electricity services back to 99.60 percent, or 146,039 households as of January 21. Some 591 households are still waiting to have their power restored.
The Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (OMECO), however, is yet to breach 80 percent. It has so far reconnected 62,774, or 79 percent, of its target households with about 16,674 residential customers still without electricity.
With respect to ECs affected by Tisoy, only four nonprofit power distribution utilities have ongoing restoration activities. These are the Albay Electric Cooperative Inc. (Aleco), Northern Samar Electric Cooperative Inc. (Norsamelco), Sorsogon I Electric Cooperative Inc. (Soreco I) and Ticao Island Electric Cooperative Inc. (Tiselco).
Data from the NEA-DRRMD showed that Norsamelco is already 99.79 percent complete with its restoration efforts; Aleco, 98.28-percent; Tiselco at 97.14 percent; and Soreco I at 97.06 percent.
The four ECs have 6,168 households combined that remain without power. Of this number, 3,450 households are under Aleco; 1,999 households under Soreco I; 511 households under Tiselco; and 208 households under Norsamelco.
“The restoration is actually faster, given the extent of damage from the recent typhoons, the limited resources available both materials and manpower, and the challenges in the restoration, such as the terrain and distance, among others,” said NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong.
