The onslaught of Typhoon Carina has left the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) with damages worth P2.4 million.
In a report by BENECO Thursday afternoon, July 25, 2024, it detailed a substation recloser equipment collapsed with damaged poles and transformers were damaged.
BENECO General Manager, Melchor Licoben said “BENECO has been monitoring Typhoon Carina since Sunday. This triggers for the activation of the electricity restoration teams in consonance with BENECO’s disaster mitigation plans.”
BENECO reports the cost of damage is expected to increase, as more reports come in from the far-flung areas of Benguet.
The electric cooperative has restored power to 97.50 % to its affected Baguio City consumers with 90 linemen alternating shifts in to address reports power outages.
Beneco explains, landslides that caused damage to poles and made roads unpassable hampered the restoration efforts in Atok while linemen contended with heavy rain and strong winds to service reports of sagging wires in Kapangan and Kibungan to be able to restore power.
Remaining towns of Benguet are almost 100% restored.
Licoben said “Right now the assessment team reports the extent of damages on field, in addition to the reports from communities, while, we safely restore other affected areas in parallel.”
BENECO advised consumers to expect intermittent power interruptions in the next days due to the unpredictability of the weather brought about by the typhoon. (LSI) Benguet Electric Cooperative Release
