Bayanihan to restore typhoon-affected energy facilities

by DOE TAGUIG CITY -- With the magnitude of the devastation, the Department of Energy (DOE) through its attached agencies has called on ...

by DOE

TAGUIG CITY -- 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 Foundation, Inc. (The Official) 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 (Zameco1 Main Office & Zameco II), Peninsula Electric Cooperative (Penelco Inc.), Pampanga I, II and III Electric Cooperative (Pelco 1, Pelco II and PELCO III, APALIT), Tarlac I and II Electric Cooperative (Tarelco I & Tarelco II- Tarlac II Electric Cooperative, Inc.), Nueva Ecija I Electric Cooperative (NEECO 1) and Neeco II Area-1 and NEECO II - Area 2, Pampanga Rural Electric Service Cooperative Inc., (PRESCO), Quezon I Electric Cooperative (Quezelco I - New page I), First Laguna Electric Cooperative (Fleco Inc), Batangas I Electric Cooperative (Batelec 1) Batangas II Electric Cooperative (Batelec 2), Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative (@PANELCO I), Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO Head Office), Quirino Electric Cooperative (QUIRELCO), Manila Electric Co., Davao Light and Power Co., Inc., Visayan Electric Co., Tarlac Electric, Inc., Cabanatuan Electric Corporation, Dagupan Electric Corporation (DECORP) 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 percent. The La Union Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LUELCO) has completed restoration in their franchise area. Still affected distribution utilities are Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (INEC), Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ISECO), Cagayan I and II Electric Cooperative (Uno Cagelco & Cagelco II), Isabela I and II Electric Cooperative (Iselco 1 Victoria Alicia & ISELCO II, Government Center, Alibagu, Ilagan, Isabela), Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO), Quirino Electric Cooperative (QUIRELCO), Beneco - Benguet Electric Cooperative, Inc., Mountain Province Electric Cooperative (MOPRECO), Ifugao Electric Cooperative (Ifelco Ifugao), 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 Corporation 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. (DOE)