Energy industry players urged to restore power in ‘Lawin’-hit regions

IN the aftermath of super Typhoon “Lawin,“the Department of Energy ( DOE), through its attached agencies, called on other power industry participants to help restore damaged energy facilities in badly hit areas like Cagayan Valley, Kalinga and Apayao.

“We are exhausting all available resources and help we can avail of to speed up the reenergization in Northern Luzon, especially in the most badly affected areas,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said over the weekend.

“Bayanihan is what is necessary in this time of need. We are calling several industry participants unaffected by the calamity like Meralco [Manila Electric Co.] and the Aboitiz Group to help in the restoration efforts of the affected distribution utilities such as Cagelco [Cagayan Electric Cooperative] and Iselco [Isabela Electric Cooperative],” Cusi said.

On 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).

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 – Zambales Electric I and II Electric Cooperative; Peninsula Electric Cooperative; Pampanga I, II and III Electric Cooperative; Tarlac I and II Electric Pampanga Rural Electric Cooperative; Quezon I Electric Cooperative; First Laguna Electric Cooperative; Batangas I Electric Cooperative; Batangas II Electric Cooperative; Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative; Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative; Quirino Electric Cooperative; Davao Light & Power Co.; Visayas Electric Corp.; Tarlac Enterprise Inc.; Cabanatuan Electric Corporation; Dagupan Electric Corp.; Subic Electric Power Company, and Meralco.

As of October 28, restoration efforts in Northern Luzon stood at 58 percent, while restoration in its franchise area.

Still affected distribution utilities are Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative; Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative; Cagayan I and II Electric Cooperative; Isabela I and II Electric Cooperative; Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative; Quirino Electric Cooperative; Benguet Electric Cooperative; Mountain Province Electric Cooperative; Ifugao Electric Cooperative; Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative and Abra Electric Cooperative.

Cusi said TFK efforts are concentrated in bringing back electricity to 526,087 households.

Meanwhile, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines reported that restoration of transmission facilities has been completed in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Benguet and Mountain Province. Power has been restored at 87.57 percent in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Ifugao, Isabela, Cagayan, Kalinga and Apayao.