The initial cost of damage to electric cooperatives (ECs) in Luzon caused by the onslaught of Typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut) has climbed to P135 million, state-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported Tuesday.
As of noon Tuesday, September 18, the initial amount of damage to the distribution facilities of ECs impacted by “Ompong” was at P135,700,569, according to the NEA Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department headed by Acting Director, Engr. Federico Villar.
NEA Deputy Administrator for Technical Services Engr. Artis Nikki Tortola meanwhile said the amount is likely to increase as the ECs have yet to determine the full extent of the damage caused by the typhoon to their respective distribution facilities.
“We are confident that with the Build Back Better program and enough pre-typhoon measures, the impact of this calamity to EC facilities has been sufficiently mitigated.”
“It will likely increase but we are hoping not that much since electric cooperatives are not complete strangers to this kind of weather scenario. We are confident that with the Build Back Better program and enough pre-typhoon measures, the impact of this calamity to EC facilities has been sufficiently mitigated,” Tortola said.
Among the ECs heavily affected by the typhoon included the Cagayan II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CAGELCO II) with an initial damage cost at P25 million, followed by the Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO) with P20 million, Cagelco I with P19.276 million, Ilocos Norte Electric, Inc. (INEC) with P15.500 million, and the Benguet Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BENECO) with P15.394 million.
Tortola earlier said the restoration of electricity service to heavily affected areas will take between days to a month. He added the NEA will deploy the Power Restoration Rapid Deployment (PRRD) Task Force on the request of affected ECs to assist them with power restoration efforts.
“The NEA will deploy the Power Restoration Rapid Deployment (PRRD) Task Force on the request of affected ECs to assist them with power restoration efforts.”
“Upon final determination of the extent of the typhoon’s damage to EC distribution facilities, this team will come in to help in order to meet the target,” the deputy administrator said.
Of the 22 ECs affected by the typhoon, eight ECs are now back to normal operations. These are Pangasinan I and III Electric Cooperatives (PANELCO I and III), Batanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BATANELCO), Quirino Electric Cooperative (QUIRELCO), Nueva Ecija II Electric Cooperative (NEECO II) – Area I, Zambales I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ZAMECO I), First Laguna Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FLECO), and Batangas II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BATALEC II).
Restoration efforts meanwhile are ongoing in areas covered by Abreco, Beneco, Cagelco I and II, INEC, Isabela I and II Electric Cooperatives (ISELCO I and II), Aurora Electric Cooperative (AURELCO), Ifugao Electric Cooperative (IFELCO), Kalinga Apayao Electric Cooperative (KAELCO), La Union Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LUELCO), Mountain Province Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MOPRECO), IlocosSur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ISECO), and Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO).
Damage to the ECs due to the typhoon was lessened as a result of the instruction of NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong for all ECs to activate their respective emergency restoration teams even as “Ompong” has yet to make landfall in the country.
