Batangas power co-ops lose business due to Taal
Two electric cooperatives in Batangas are reeling from loss of business due to forced outages in areas cordoned off by local governments due to the eruption of Taal Volcano, which also displaced 248 of their employees.
According to the National Electrification Administration, Batangas 1 Electric Cooperative has reported a 7-megawatt (MW) drop in demand while Batangas 2 Electric Cooperative reported 12 to 15 MW as thousands of residents and business operators evacuated several towns affected by Taal’s eruption.
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong said in a statement this would have a drastic effect on the cooperatives’ operations—both financial and technical.
Batelec 1 shut down power circuits in the towns of Agoncillo, Lemery and San Nicolas, which were declared under lockdown. There were a total of 32,392 households in the three towns.
Batelec 1 is currently faced with a massive clean-up of its power distribution facilities such as substations and feeder lines, which were covered by a thick layer of volcanic ash.
Batelec 2 was also forced to stop electricity distribution in the towns of Talisay and Laurel as well as 21 barangays of Tanauan City that are within the 14-kilometer danger zone.
Tanauan City, which counts a total of 48 barangays, was placed under a state of calamity.
The affected barangays include Ambulong, Bañadero, Gonzales, Wawa, Boot, Maria Paz, Bagbag, Balele, Mabini, Tinurik, Banjo West, Janopol Oriental, Janopol Occidental, Talaga, Bilog-bilog, Maugat, San Jose, Natatas, Luyos, Montaña and Santor.
Batelec 2 is conducting service restoration in other barangays of Tanauan City, including Altura Bata, Altura Matanda, Altura South, Cale, Malaking Pulo and Santol.
Batelec 1 reported that 157 of its employees had to evacuate their homes while Batelec 2 counted 91 such employees.
The Philippine Rural Electrification Association, through its One EC Network Foundation, has extended a financial assistance package totalling P1.58 million for the displaced workers. INQ
