State-run National Electrification Administration said more electric cooperatives (ECs) reported total power shutdown affecting almost 4.8 million consumers on Monday morning due to the damage wrought by Super Typhoon Uwan.
Latest information from the NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD) showed that 26 ECs in six regions are experiencing blackouts, bringing the total of affected rural electrification customers to 4,781,180.
The list includes LUELCO (La Union), PANELCO III (Pangasinan) and CENPELCO (Central Pangasinan) in the Ilocos Region; and NUVELCO (Nueva Vizcaya) and QUIRELCO (Quirino) in Cagayan Valley.
Central Luzon electric cooperatives were also affected namely AURELCO (Aurora), NEECO 1 and 2 (Nueva Ecija) and SAJELCO (San Jose City, Nueva Ecija).
ABRECO (Abra), BENECO (Benguet), IFELCO (Ifugao) and MOPRECO (Mountain Province) located in the Cordillera Administrative Region also experienced blackouts.
The Bicol region have the most ECs under total power interruption status namely ALECO (Albay), CANORECO (Camarines Norte), CASURECO 1 to 4 (Camarines Sur), FICELCO (Catanduanes), MASELCO (Masbate), TISELCO (Ticao Island, Masbate) and SORECO 1 and 2 (Sorsogon).
NORSAMELCO (Northern Samar) in Eastern Visays is also suffering from blackout.
The NEA-DRRMD is monitoring power situation in 82 ECs across 51 provinces in 12 regions nationwide. Damage assessments continue and power restoration activities are underway as the typhoon weakens.
NEA administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda appealed for public understanding as the ECs assess the situation and inspect the affected power line. He said NEA will have to conduct line assessments to ensure safety, particularly for meters under floodwaters.
