Bayanihan To Restore Typhoon-Affected Energy Facilities

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With the magnitude of the devastation, the Department of Energy (DOE) through its attached agencies has called on power industry participants to help in the restoration of damaged energy facilities in the aftermath of supertyphoon Lawin.

“Bayanihan is what is necessary in this time of need. We are calling several unaffected industry participants like MERALCO and the Aboitiz Group to help in the restoration efforts of the affected distribution utilities such as CAGELCO and ISELCO,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

“We are exhausting all available resources and help we can avail to speed up the re-energization in Northern Luzon, especially in badly hit areas like Cagayan Valley, Kalinga and Apayao”, Cusi added.

For the distribution side, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and several electric cooperatives (ECs) have responded to the DOE’s call to activate Task Force Kapatid (TFK).

As reported by NEA, the TFK has three teams with more than 60 personnel from NEA, 19 ECs in Regions III and IV and 7 Private Investor-Owned Utilities namely:

Zambales Electric I and II Electric Cooperative (ZAMECO I & II), Peninsula Electric Cooperative (PENELCO), Pampanga I, II and III Electric Cooperative (PELCO I, II and III), Tarlac I and II Electric Cooperative (TARELCO I & II), Nueva Ecija I Electric Cooperative (NEECO I) and NEECO II-Areas 1 and 2, Pampanga Rural Electric Cooperative (PRESCO), Quezon I Electric Cooperative (QUEZELCO I), First Laguna Electric Cooperative (FLECO), Batangas I Electric Cooperative (BATELEC I) Batangas II Electric Cooperative (BATELEC II), Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative (PANELCO I), Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO), Quirino Electric Cooperative (QUIRELCO), Manila Electric Co., Davao Light & Power Co., Visayas Electric Corporation, Tarlac Enterprise Inc., Cabanatuan Electric Corporation, Dagupan Electric Corporation and Subic Electric Power Company.

In fast-tracking the rehabilitation of typhoon-hit areas, Cusi said “The Task Force Kapatid participants are willingly helping their fellow cooperatives even at their own expense, which is a sign of bayanihan in the power industry.”

As of October 28, the status of restoration efforts in Northern Luzon stands at 58%. The La Union Electric Cooperative (LUELCO) has completed restoration in their franchise area. Still affected distribution utilities are Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC), Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative (ISECO), Cagayan I and II Electric Cooperative (CAGELCO I & II), Isabela I and II Electric Cooperative (ISELCO I & II), Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO), Quirino Electric Cooperative (QUIRELCO), Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO), Mountain Province Electric Cooperative (MOPRECO), Ifugao Electric Cooperative (IFECO), Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative (KAELCO) and Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO).

Cusi said efforts are concentrated in bringing back electricity to 526,087 households.

Meanwhile, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has reported that restoration of transmission facilities has been completed in the provinces of La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Benguet and Mountain Province.

Moreover, the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Ifugao, Isabela, Cagayan, Kalinga and Apayao are already 87.57% restored.

In the same report, NGCP said that all 69 kV lines were energized except for 2 line segments serving Kalinga and parts of Cagayan and Apayao. Also, difficulty in the restoration has been encountered since most of the structures are located in mountainous areas.

“With the intensified rehabilitation efforts of NGCP, we hope to energize the remaining transmission lines today (28 October),” Cusi asserted.

“We cannot leave our kababayans behind, so we are closely monitoring and mobilizing our assets in the areas," Cusi concluded.

About "WazzupPilipinas.com"

WazzupPilipinas.com is the fastest growing and most awarded blog and social media community that has transcended beyond online media. It has successfully collaborated with all forms of media namely print, radio and television making it the most diverse multimedia organization. The numerous collaborations with hundreds of brands and organizations as online media partner and brand ambassador makes WazzupPilipinas.com a truly successful advocate of everything about the Philippines, and even more since its support extends further to even international organizations including startups and SMEs that have made our country their second home.