Some Vinta-hit areas now have power

MANILA, Philippines - Electricity in some areas affected by Typhoon Vinta, which hit parts of the country early this week, has been restored although several towns in the northern provinces are still without power, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said yesterday.

“We are in constant and close coordination with the National Electrification Administration (NEA), the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), and distribution utilities in the typhoon-affected areas as well as other calamity-affected provinces to restore power as soon as possible,” Petilla said.

He said power has been restored in all towns under the Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative franchise area, while all 23 towns being served by the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative have been energized, except for the remote barangays.

In Cagayan, the NEA reported that 18 out of the 29 towns or 62 percent have been energized.

For the Cagayan I Electric Cooperative (Cagelco I) franchise area, power has been restored in all 12 municipalities that it serves.

However, for the Cagelco II franchise area, a number of municipalities are still without electricity.

These include the towns of Abulug, Bal-lesteros, Buguey, Calayan, Claveria, Gattaran, Pamplona, Sanchez Mira, Sta. Ana, Sta. Praxedes, and Sta. Teresita, and parts of Aparri and Gonzaga.

The towns of Flora, Luna, Pudtol and Santa Marcela in Apayao province, which are also served by Cagelco II, also remain without power.

The NGCP, meanwhile, reported that it has completed the repair of the Magapit-Sta. Teresita-Sta. Ana 69-kV transmission line segment and has restored the Tuguegarao-Magapit-Camalaniugan 69kV line segment.

Petilla said total power restoration of the typhoon-hit municipalities is expected in two to three weeks.

In Bohol, 94 percent of total households have been energized after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the province last month.

However, Petilla said the remaining households still have to undergo further inspection for damage before receiving power.