TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- One month after super typhoon Lawin toppled hundreds of electric poles rendering the whole province without electricity, power is now restored in 73 percent of the entire franchise area of the Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative (Kaelco).
Corazon Tomas, KAELCO general manager, said to date, 30,186 out of the 43,792 households have electricity. Only Tinglayan is 100% restored.
Power restoration operation is now concentrated in Pinukpuk, Rizal and Tabuk City.
Tomas said seven electric cooperatives from other provinces under Task Force Kapatid including the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines are helping restore power and will do so until all households have electricity.
Electric cooperatives helping in restoration include Batangas 1 and 2 Electric Cooperatives; First Laguna Electric Coop; Ifugao Electric Coop; Sorsogon 2 Electric Coop; and Benguet Electric Coop.
The electric cooperatives that came to rescue brought with them their own equipment while Kaelco provided their food and accommodation.
Tuazon disclosed that 879 poles were erected from the total 1,239 that were damaged while 256 kilometers of 3-phase power lines and 212 of 2-phase lines were also restored.
Tomas said Kaelco incurred P68 million in total cost of damages sue to typhoon Lawin. (Peter Balocnit/PIA-CAR)