Electricity restored to 3.5M Meralco customers

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) on Friday reported that a total of 501,272 customers are still without electricity after Typhoon Ulysses lashed Luzon island.

This means that power has been restored to around 3.5 million customers from a high of 3.8 million, as of 5 a.m., November 12.

The number of consumers without power accounts for 7.4% of Meralco’s total customers in its franchise area.

As of 6 AM, Nov. 13, some 501,272 Meralco customers or 7.4% of its total customers are still without power. This means that electricity has been restored to around 3.5 million customers from a high of 3.8 million as of 5 AM, Nov. 12. | via @Ted_Cordero pic.twitter.com/sR90H6Xlwx

— GMA News (@gmanews) November 13, 2020

       Nearly four million        customers, on Thursday morning, lost power as strong winds and heavy from the typhoon knocked down power lines and toppled utility poles in Meralco’s service areas.

Meralco said it began restoration efforts at around 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Thursday.

Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga earlier said the company’s linemen need to wait for floods in some areas to subside before restoration activities can be done.

“Kailangan namin antayin na humupa ang baha bago kami makapagtrabaho hindi pwedeng mag-restore ng kuryente habang andun ang baha [dahil] lubha pong napakadelikado para sa aming mga line personnel at higit sa lahat sa aming mga customer,” Zaldarriaga said.

He appealed for the public’s understanding while ensuring that power will be restored “at the soonest possible time.”

“The primordial consideration is to restore power in areas where we will be able to provide electricity back,” he said.

All Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals have been lifted in the country.—AOL, GMA News