Tuesday, July 17, 2007 Power coop spends over P49 million for maintenance, rehab works
THE Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) has spent close to P50 million for the first six months of this year to maintain, rehabilitate and expand its lines and other facilities for efficient and quality delivery of service to the consumers.
Bulk of the amount was used for the utility's expansion programs, mostly done in Benguet. A total of P30,324,768.67 was used for the program, which involved the extension of primary and secondary power lines.
One of Beneco's main mandates is to deliver electricity to every household, even in areas where return of investment is very minimal, in conformity with the government's rural electrification program.
At present, three barangays -- Takadang and Badeo in Kibungan and Lusod in Kabayan, both in Benguet, are not yet reached by electricity.
Programmed rehabilitation projects, which include correction of low voltages, repair of power lines, replacement of overloaded transformers, and re-routing of primary and secondary electric lines, amounted to P10,921,119.85.
These works were implemented in various areas in Baguio and Benguet, including labor and material cost. Non-programmed rehabilitation projects amounted to P711,755.47.
Line maintenance works, meanwhile, amounted to P6,393,577.40. The program involves pole relocation, transformer installation, replacement of poles and line diversion.
Of the P49,176,555.88 spent for Beneco's maintenance, expansion and rehabilitation, P28,081,914.67 accounted for the material cost while P21,094,641.21 was spent for labor.
Meanwhile, Beneco Engineering Department head Melchor Licoben said upcoming projects of the power coop include the put up of sub-stations to ensure additional electricity capacity in the city, more equipment to improve Beneco's delivery of service and dependability of the system like power capacitors as well as replacing and updating its metering system. (JC/AS-UP Baguio intern)
