Damage to power co-ops: P5B
MANILA, Philippines—The damage wrought by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” on electric cooperatives in Luzon and the Visayas has reached P4.9 billion, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said Tuesday.
Based on initial assessments, the NEA said 34 electric cooperatives—seven in Luzon and 27 in the Visayas—suffered partial to total damage to their distribution lines, substations and sub-transmission lines when the Category 5 hurricane slammed the middle of the country on Nov. 8.
Electric coops in Leyte, the hardest-hit province, suffered the worst damage with losses topping P3.5 billion. The coops were identified as the Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative Inc., which incurred damage of P870 million; Leyte V Electric Cooperative Inc., P862 million; Capiz Electric Cooperative Inc., P670 million; Leyte II Electric Cooperative Inc., P661 million; and Leyte III Electric Cooperative Inc., P465 million.
The NEA said it had made calamity loans available to the affected electric coops and has so far disbursed P371 million to 17 coops.
As of Tuesday, the NEA said, power had been restored in areas covered by the Masbate Electric Cooperative Inc., VMC Electric Cooperative Inc., Bohol I Electric Cooperative Inc., Bohol II Electric Cooperative Inc., Cebu II Electric Cooperative Inc., Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative Inc., Leyte IV Electric Cooperative Inc., Samar I Electric Cooperative Inc. and Northern Samar Electric Cooperative Inc.
Ready to receive power, meanwhile, are two towns covered by the Biliran Electric Cooperative Inc., 13 towns under the Samar II Electric Cooperative Inc. and nine towns under the Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative Inc.
Total power restoration is targeted for Dec. 24, or Christmas Eve, as vowed by Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla.
In a statement, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said it had completed the restoration of a critical line in the Visayas grid.
“The Marshalling-Tabango 230-kilovolt transmission line in the northern part of Leyte island was fully restored and energized at 8:53 p.m. on Nov. 21. The line, which suffered seven toppled towers, transmits electricity to Leyte from Cebu and energizes the Ormoc substation which serves Leyeco V,” the NGCP said.
The NGCP said it mobilized its resources to facilitate the restoration of damaged transmission lines and substations in the Visayas. It estimated that more than 2,000 structures were damaged by the supertyphoon.
Around 1,400 NGCP line personnel, including contractors from all over the country, are deployed in the Visayas to focus on restoring power.
The NGCP appealed for the public’s cooperation, particularly of landowners, in allowing their line personnel to enter their properties to repair the transmission lines on their land.
