Electricity has been restored in around 54 percent of households in Typhoon Ompong-hit areas, according to the Department of Energy (DOE), which leads its Task Force on Energy Resiliency.
A total of 1,216,727 households have been energized while the remaining 1,036,502 affected households are still under power restoration based on the latest data from the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
“We are now at 54 percent and continuously mobilizing our people to areas of concern for the speedy restoration of power, among other forms of assistance from the energy family,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.
NEA reported that the estimated cost of damage is P 138.9 million for the 22 electric cooperatives (ECs) covering the 19 provinces severely affected by the typhoon.
Scheduled power restorations have been set for the following provinces: Isabela (ISELCO I) on Sept. 22; La Union on Sept. 23; Mt. Province on Sept. 30; Benguet and Ilocos Sur on Oct. 6; Isabela (ISELCO II) and Kalinga-Apayao on Oct. 15; Ilocos Norte on Oct. 16; Cagayan (CAGELCO II) on Oct. 16; Cagayan (CAGELCO I) on Nov. 30
No targets have been set for Nueva Vizcaya, Abra, and Ifugao.
Meanwhile, eight provinces were declared to be in a state of calamity. These include Cagayan, Abra, Benguet, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Kalinga and Mayoyao, Ifugao.
On generation, the National Power Corporation-Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) reported normal operations of its diesel power plants (DPP) in the areas of Batanes (Itbayat and Sabtang) and Isabela and Aurora areas (Maconacon and Casuguran). On the other hand, the NPC-SPUG DPPs in Calayan, Minabel Balatubat, Kabugao, and Palanan are either under assessment or impassable due to the occurrence of landslides, while the one DPP in Basco is undergoing distribution sideline maintenance with feeder 1 restored by 11:37 am on September 18.
According to NPC’s dam status report, water-spilling operations have decreased but were still on-going at the Ambuklao, Binga, and San Roque dams. Spilling operation at the San Roque dam are expected to end by September 21.
In terms of transmission, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) allocated 22 line crews, totaling 176 field personnel and augmentation teams to work on the restoration of the remaining transmission facilities still offline.
NGCP already restored the transmission systems of Ifugao, Mt. Province, and Benguet, while transmission lines in Cagayan and Apayao are still under rehabilitation.
The DOE reminds the oil companies that a price freeze for household LPG (11 kg) and kerosene products is now being implemented in these provinces. The price freeze will be enforced for 15 days upon the announcement.
