TS Crising Causes P1.1 Million in Damage to BENECO Infrastructure
By Laarni S. Ilagan
Severe Tropical Storm Crising, intensified by the southwest monsoon, caused an estimated P1.165 million in damage to the infrastructure of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) to date, disrupting power supply across parts of its service area.
As of 8:00 a.m. on Monday, July 22, BENECO reported significant damage to several components of its power distribution network. Three transformers—two in Tuba, Benguet (Tadiangan and Tabaan) and one in Apugan, Irisan in Baguio City—were damaged, amounting to P509,196.78. An additional P655,933.66 in losses came from 14 downed electric poles, including associated lines and protective devices.
Consumers under four feeders (7, 8, 9, and 10) connected to the North Sanitary Camp (NSC) substation experienced the most severe power outages during the storm’s peak.
By 10:00 a.m., full power had been restored to all barangays in Baguio City, with only a few isolated households still experiencing outages or low voltage issues. In Benguet, restoration efforts were also underway, with the town of Bokod reporting the lowest recovery rate at 78 percent. Other municipalities reached between 92 and 100 percent restoration.
Total households restored at 97.2%, according to the Emeregency Response Team of BENECO.
BENECO deployed additional linemen and equipment from its South Drive headquarters to support affected areas, particularly in far-flung municipalities where local contractors were initially mobilized.
According to BENECO, most of the pole-related damage was caused by soil erosion and fallen trees brought about by continuous heavy rainfall.
“Exercise utmost safety when working with our lines,” BENECO General Manager Melchor Licoben reminded field workers. “As much as we want to restore power immediately, we must prioritize everyone’s safety.”
Licoben also urged BENECO employees to offer prayers for the ongoing restoration efforts and called on office-based staff to assist by providing updates to consumers.
