At least 24 electric cooperatives (ECs) nationwide reported hefty potential losses in the wake of severe tropical storm ‘Kristine’ after initial estimated cost of damage to power infrastructure reached P70,251,981.09, latest data from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) showed.
The recent weather disturbance triggered declarations of state of calamity across many provinces nationwide—particularly in the Calabarzon, Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions—and disrupted electricity services.
NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda said the affected ECs are working tirelessly to bring their power distribution operations back to normal as soon as possible. Task Force Kapatid (TFK) was recently activated to augment manpower for the ongoing restoration efforts in the hardest-hit co-ops.
In an interview with PTV on Tuesday, 29 October 2024, he said the repair of damaged distribution lines continues in the franchise areas of ECs in Albay (ALECO), Batangas (BATELEC I), Camarines Sur (CASURECO II and III), and Pangasinan (PANELCO I).
“𝘚𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥,” Administrator Almeda added.
The NEA chief noted that the ports in Allen and Matnog, Sorsogon are likewise energized to ensure smooth operations in the transport of goods and services. He said he expects the TFK contingents deployed in the affected ECs to speed up the energization.
According to the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (Philreca), majority of the ECs cited flooding and line obstructions among their biggest challenges in the restoration process. Other problems were attributed to generation and transmission issues.
Administrator Almeda also explained that damage assessment in the storm-hit ECs is still incomplete as additional reports are still coming in, especially in areas that remain flooded. He, however, assured that actions continue from the NEA and EC allied organizations to mitigate potential heavier losses.
“𝘐𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦, 𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘺-𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 (𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨) 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺,” he said.
Administrator Almeda added that contingency measures are already in place as well for the possible impact of Typhoon ‘Leon,’ which is now threatening Batanes Island once again. He said the province is yet to fully recover from the effects of Super Typhoon ‘Julian.’
The NEA chief said he already directed the seven TFK teams, who were earlier deployed to assist in power restoration efforts in the aftermath of ‘Julian,’ to stay in Batanes in preparation for the landfall of ‘Leon.’ ###
