Electricity has been restored to 4 million homes and businesses in the wake of Typhoons Tino and Uwan, as government crews continue round-the-clock work to reconnect the remaining affected areas. The Department of Energy (DOE) said restoration teams are still prioritizing safety while accelerating repairs across Luzon and the Visayas to bring power back to the last 800,000 customers still without service.

The DOE reported major progress in restoring critical facilities. Several generation plants—including the Sabangan Hydroelectric, GIFTC2 Biomass, Morong Solar, and FLS Hydroelectric plants—are now back online,thus reinforcing power supply available to the grid. In Catanduanes, key transmission lines such as Virac-Codon, Virac-San Miguel, and San Miguel-Viga, along with the 20 MVA Marinawa Substation, have been fully restored.

Distribution utilities in both Luzon and the Visayas have also achieved full restoration in their respective service areas. These include LUECO, SEZC, OEDC, CEDC, AEC, SFELAPO, CELCOR, and TEI, with Dagupan City, San Carlos City, San Jacinto (DECORP), and Lahuy Island (FPIEC) already fully energized. In the Visayas region, MECO, MEPC, and BLCI have restored all affected customers, while Bacolod City under NEPC is also fully energized.

To reinforce ongoing work on the ground, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) has mobilized multiple Task Force Kapatid (TFK) teams to assist electric cooperatives in heavily affected areas. These include crews deployed to cooperatives such as CAGELCO I and II, multiple NUVELCO-affiliated ECs, CASURECO IV, AURELCO partner ECs, as well as ORMECO, NORECO II, LANECO, MORESCO I and II, and several others across Regions 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and CARAGA. NEA teams are providing manpower, boom trucks, and service vehicles to help expedite line restoration in challenging terrain.

Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said the effort is being carried out under the President’s directive to speed up recovery in typhoon-stricken regions. 

“Acting on the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we are ramping up our power restoration efforts and have made significant progress with 4 million households energized. With safety and building better as our top priorities, our Energy Family teams continue to work 24/7 in the aftermath of Tino and Uwan,” she said.

With most regions back online, the DOE has identified the remaining areas still undergoing repairs. DECORP is 99.60% energized and targets full restoration by November 19. CASURECO IV’s Quinalasag Island is 84.62% restored and aims to complete repairs within the week. VECO, which continues to face flooded communities and landslides, is 97.05% energized and is targeting full restoration by November 30. NEPC is at 92.20% and is working toward full restoration by November 21.

Secretary Garin reiterated that ensuring the safety of workers remains critical as

crews navigate difficult terrain and damaged infrastructure. 

“We are emphasizing utmost caution for all line workers, engineers, and Task Force Kapatid volunteers, recognizing the hazards in remote and hard-to-reach areas,” she said. “Rapid, safe, and complete restoration of power services remains our highest priority. Our teams will remain on the ground until every affected household is

reconnected to safe and reliable electricity.”

What additional measures do you think can strengthen the country’s power restoration efforts after major typhoons?

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