Power restoration in Ursula-hit Aklan eyed on January 25

AKLAN, Philippines – The Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco) said it hopes to restore electricity to all households in Aklan as early as January 25, following power outages caused by Typhoon Ursula.

Typhoon Ursula hit the province of Aklan on December 25, causing 8 deaths and displacing 462,000 individuals. As many as 143,000 billed electric consumers were without electricity.

As of January 8, the electric cooperative incurred an initial damage of P94.858 million in the franchise area. No injuries or deaths were reported during the clearing and restoration activities of Task Force Kapatid.

Akelco general manager Alexis Regalado said about 60% or 88,000 electric consumers in 164 barangays in the franchise area of Akelco in Aklan and northern Antique were energized.

“Hindi naman napinsala ang ating mga substations, ngunit ang damage natin aabot ito ng P100 million dahil sa mga nasirang linya at poste ng Akelco. Dati, February 9 ang initial target na ma-restore ang kuryente, ngayon January 25 na,” Regalado added.

(Our substations were not damaged, but the damage we incurred reached P100 million because of the destroyed electrical lines and posts of Akelco. Our initial target for the power restoration was February 9, but now it’s January 25.)

He also thanked sister cooperatives such as the Power Restoration Rapid Deployment Task Force of One EC Network Foundation and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) for helping in Akelco’s ongoing restoration and rebuilding efforts.

ECs from Bohol, Cebu, northern Negros, Negros Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Sur, Iloilo (Tigbauan), Zamboanga del Norte, Antique, Lanao del Norte, and Misamis Oriental deployed their line workers, boom trucks, and equipment to typhoon-hit areas in Aklan and Antique to restore power.

“Nanawagan din kami sa mga barangay officials at residente na tumulong na rin sa ating Task Force Kapatid upang mapadali ang pagkumpuni ng mga nasira ng Ursula. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa kanilang tulong,” Regalado said.

(We also called on barangay officials and residents to help our Task Force Kapatid facilitate the quick restoration of electrical lines and posts destroyed by Ursula. We thank them for their help.)

Regalado also warned the public against buying electric meters and service drops from unscrupulous individuals.

NEA administrator Edgardo Masongsong echoed Akelco’s appeal.

“‘Pag ganitong may calamities, kailangang tulong-tulong ang lahat upang maayos natin ang mga pasilidad at kuryente (During times of calamities, everyone should help each other in order to restore our facilities and power),” he said during his two-day visit to the Akelco main office in Lezo, Aklan, after Typhoon Ursula. – Rappler.com