AFTER fully energizing Baguio, Benguet Electric Cooperative shifts its focus to fully restoring power in Benguet.
In a radio interview, Beneco consumer welfare officer Leo Belingon said only eight barangays in Baguio City are still not energized after a number of electric posts either collapsed, broke or eroded due to Typhoon Ompong.
“At present, the areas of Apugan-Loakan, Atok Trail, Fort Del Pilar-PMA, Kias, SLU-SVP housing cooperative, Santo Tomas school area, Happy Hollow and Loakan are still without power but we hope to energize them before the week ends,” Belingon stated.
Beneco has already restored power in 47,495 households out of the 86,737 or at 54.76 percent.
“In Benguet, 39 out of the 140 barangays in the province have been energized or around 27.86 percent, while most of the municipalities in northern Benguet are still un-energized,” said the consumer welfare officer.
Restoration of power for Atok (except for Kaliking), Bakun, Bokod, Kibungan, Kabayan would take two weeks to a month.
Beneco has also restored power in Mankayan(except for Bulalakao, Poblacion and Ginawang), Sablan(except for Kamug, Banangan, Bayabas, and Poblacion), Tuba(except for Tadiangan and Poblacion), Buguias(except for Abadan and Boo), Itogon, (except for Tuding and Ucab), Kapangan(except for Datakan, Labuwek, Paykek and Poblacion Central Kapangan), and Tublay (except for Ambassador, Tuel, Ambungdulan, Caponga and Datakan).
“When all the access roads would have been opened, our technical engineers will conduct actual inventory and the estimate of actual damages to identify what specific materials will have to be replaced,” Belingon explained.
The restoration works to be done in Northern Benguet is expected to last from two weeks to a month depending on how fast the roads will be open to traffic.
Most of the damages reported to the electric cooperative were due to eroded poles, collapsed and broken poles which based on the reported damages, would force the cooperative to practically build and construct new lines.
“In terms of personnel for Beneco, we have the appropriate number but due to the magnitude of the effects of Typhoon Ompong in Baguio City and Benguet Province, we had to get the services of our line contractors who are the implementors of the governments Sitio Electrification Program to help in restoring power,” Belingon added.