Abra gets back electricity after negotiations with power supplier

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—Abra is getting back its power, hours after a blackout on Thursday, which residents had expected to last far longer than usual.

The Aboitiz Power Renewables Inc. (APRI) terminated its supply contract with the Abra Electric Cooperative (Abreco) because of debts that date back to the start of their contract in January 2012.

The whole province lost power at 12:04 p.m., but Pura Sumangil, a member of the Abra provincial crisis committee, said she was informed of a scheduled power restoration, which would have taken place in parts of the province at 5:17 p.m., due to new arrangements orchestrated by the provincial government.

Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong, Cordillera police director, said Abra Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin convinced most of Abreco’s officials to resign after he convened a crisis management committee session. The resignations paved the way for new management to renegotiate the supply deal with APRI, which operates the Tiwi-Makban geothermal power plants in Batangas, Laguna and Albay. He said APRI was persuaded to restore power while scheduling fresh talks with a new Abreco team.

The Department of Energy also intervened, at the behest of the Abra government, and is studying the legal avenues available for the National Electrification Administration to assume control over Abreco, Magalong said. Abreco is registered with the Cooperatives Development Authority (CDA), unlike most rural electric cooperatives.