The initial cost of damage incurred by electric cooperatives (ECs) from Typhoon Ambo has reached P170 million, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said.
Based on the reports received by the NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD) as of Tuesday (May 19), Ambo caused an initial estimate of P170.215 million in damages to ECs operating in the provinces of Quezon, Marinduque, Sorsogon, Masbate, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar.
NEA DRRMD said 11 of the 18 ECs have already returned to normal operations as of Tuesday (May 19).
The Northern Samar Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NORSAMELCO) suffered the most with estimated damage at P72.944 million, followed by Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ESAMELCO) at P55 million, Quezon I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (QUEZELCO I) at P23.729 million, and Samar I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SAMELCO I) at P6.476 million.
The initial cost of damage to Masbate Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MASELCO) was pegged at P6.379 million; Quezon II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (QUEZELCO II) at P3.375 million; Sorsogon I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SORECO I) at P1.340 million; Marinduque Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MARELCO) at P614,383; and Samar II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SAMELCO II) at P356,199.
NEA DRRMD said 11 of the 18 ECs affected by the typhoon have already returned to normal operations as of Tuesday (May 19). Meanwhile, work to restore power continues across the respective service areas of Camarines Sur I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASURECO I), SORECO I, QUEZELCO I, QUEZELCO II, SAMELCO I, ESAMELCO, and NORSAMELCO.
Helping out ESAMELCO and NORSAMELCO in the ongoing restoration activities is the ‘power restoration rapid deployment’ (PRRD) task force, which is composed of 67 line workers and support personnel equipped with boom trucks and utility vehicles from nine participating power co-ops in Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, and Biliran Island.
The members of the task force, which have been deployed earlier this week, are expected to stay in Eastern and Northern Samar for at least two weeks.