BLACKOUT | Government restores electricity services in half of Odette-hit areas

December 27, 2021 , 06:56 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(December 27, 2021) – Government and private utility companies have restored power in almost half of the homes in areas affected by Typhoon Odette, the energy department’s National Electrification Administration (NEA) said on Monday.

In a virtual presser, the NEA said around 1.95 million households, or about 47.67 percent of areas plunged into darkness after a powerful typhoon slammed in the country’s belly, have been energized.

About 2.14 million households are still without electricity, the power agency said. Work to restore power continues round-the-clock, repairing transmission and distribution lines and putting back toppled poles. The government aims to re-energize homes before the year ends.

Odette, which pummeled the nation’s belly and resulted in hundreds of deaths and massive destruction of homes and infrastructure, caused power interruptions and outages in 284 municipalities and cities, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Based on DOE’s communications with a number of distribution utilities, the Visayan Electric Company aims to restore electricity for 80% of their customers in Cebu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, Naga City and other parts of Cebu by January 10.

For their part, Bohol Electric Cooperative 1 and 2 are targeting to restore power for a third of their customers before the year ends, while the Bohol Light Company aims to bring back electricity for half of their customers in Tagbilaran and Panglao around the same time.

Around 85% or 81 damaged transmission lines in Bohol have been restored, but some lines were taking longer to restore due to growing reports of damaged poles and challenges in getting access to some areas, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said.

Most of the power lines are expected to be restored before the year ends, if not by January 16 next year, the agency said.

Many areas in Visayas and northern Mindanao celebrated a “dark” Christmas following the onslaught of Typhoon Odette, known internationally as Rai, as logistical problems hampered progress in repairing damaged power lines and restoring electricity.

Last week, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) ordered the NGCP and electric cooperatives in Visayas and Mindanao to speed up the restoration of electricity in the areas affected by Typhoon Odette.

The DOE said it is looking to review its energy resilience policy to improve the nation’s energy infrastructure, prepositioning, stockpiling of supplies and personnel, operations, and response, as the agency is set to review the 2018 policy as scheduled.

(MM | With reports from Shyla Francisco, News5)

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