BAGUIO CITY – The Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) suffered more than P5 million worth of damages inflicted on its power distribution system by the four typhoons that visited its franchise area over the past several months.
BENECO Network Services Department Manager Engr. Ramel Rifani disclosed that the damages that were inflicted on the cooperative’s power distribution system range from fallen poles and power lines and busted transformers among other materials used to bring cheap and quality power to the households.
During the recent wrath of Tropical Storm Paeng that lasted for several days, BENECO suffered over P2.6 million worth of damages that were inflicted on its power distribution system that caused power outages in most of its franchise area in Baguio and Benguet for a number of days.
However, he claimed that BENECO personnel who worked round the clock to restore power were able to bring back the 100 percent energization of all the 140 barangays in Benguet and the 128 barangays in Baguio City.
He admitted that there are some households that have yet to have power as the same had not been energized because of the heavy damages that had been inflicted by the typhoon to the lines leading to the individual houses, especially in the remote areas, but efforts are being done to extend assistance for the restoration of power in the said households.
The second highest damages suffered by BENECO was at the height of Typhoon Florita where the estimated damages in its power distribution system was more or less P2.1 million.
On the other hand, BENECO sustained minimal damages at the height of Typhoon Karding where the estimated damages on its power distribution system at that time was more than P222,000 that included fallen poles and lines and a few busted transformers.
Further, BENECO reported over P78,000 worth of damages on the power distribution system during the wrath of Typhoon Neneng where its franchise area was affected by the weather disturbance that affected most parts of Northern Luzon at that time.
For his part, BNENECO general manager Engr. Melchor S. Licoben commended the unrelenting and uncompromising efforts of the technical personnel who worked round the clock to ensure that power will be immediately restored to this consumers during the wrath of the said weather disturbances, saying that their untiring efforts to work amidst the prevailing risks speaks well of their passion and dedication to serve the greater interest of the consumers.