NEA on track to hit 460K new power connections

State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) is on track to achieve this year’s corporate target of 460,000 new electricity consumer connections after energizing more than half of its goal in the first half.

Latest figures from the NEA information technology and communication services department showed the number of new consumer connections steadily increased in the past six months.

In the first half, ITCSD manager Roderick Padua said a total of 260,224 new consumer connections were monitored. These represent 56 percent of NEA’s target.

Luzon electric cooperatives reported the biggest share of additional connections with 106,898 (41 percent), followed by Mindanao and Visayas ECs with 83,542 (32 percent) and 69,784 (27 percent), respectively.

This brought the overall level of consumer connections within the 121 ECs’ coverage areas to 12.44 million or 83 percent of the 15.04 million potential connections. This translates into 60 million Filipinos enjoying the benefits of electricity.

“This (status of energization) report manifests NEA and ECs’ commitment to spearhead rural development through the provision of electric service to more and more consumers,” Padua said.

Despite the steady progress in providing electricity to households, NEA administrator Edgardo Masongsong said the agency would continue to work on hitting this year’s target.

“While we are confident of a 100 percent accomplishment on additional connections for the year, continuing efforts for total electrification should not waver,” Masongsong said.

Moreover, NEA commits to bring electricity to every household in the far-flung corners of the country despite budget constraints.

Next year, the agency is expected to receive P1.16 billion from the national government to finance electrification projects for 2019, Masongsong said.

The amount is lower than the P1.82 billion budget allotted in 2018 to energize 1,817 sitios.

Moving forward, Masongsong said the agency needs more funds for the 19,740 sitios or 2.4 million households across the country that have yet to be reached by electricity.

To date, NEA through its partnership with 121 electric cooperatives (ECs) successfully energized 12.45 million consumers nationwide.

“Our partnership with the 121 ECs is getting stronger every year, and with them by our side we are making a steady progress towards meeting our target of new rural households having access to electricity for 2018,” Masongsong said.