BAGUIO CITY — Electric consumers in several parts of Benguet may still have to wait for days as the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) continues to face major challenges in restoring power facilities damaged by the strong winds of Typhoon “Uwan.”

Personnel of the cooperative are conducting ongoing restoration operations across northern Benguet, confirming that electricity will be reconnected to parts of Atok, Kapangan, Tublay, Buguias, Mankayan, Kibungan, and Bakun once the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) restores transmission supply. While Circuits 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 are ready for energization, Circuits 4 and 6 sustained extensive damage that will prolong restoration.

Circuit 4, which supplies areas from Guinaoang, Mankayan to Amlimay, Buguias, suffered major damage with five downed poles at its starting point. Circuit 6, running from Sinipsip and Amgaleygey to Abatan, also incurred significant damage, including broken backbone lines and destroyed poles. Repair work on Circuit 8 has begun following road-clearing efforts.

Beneco explained that power restoration follows a systematic, phased approach that prioritizes system integrity and major distribution lines. Teams first assess damage to identify and prioritize critical backbone lines supplying major load centers from substations. Repairs then move from backbone lines to feeder lines and laterals that deliver electricity to barangays and individual households. Power is then gradually energized to ensure stability and safety once damaged poles, transformers, and equipment are replaced or repaired.

The cooperative is also prioritizing the rapid energization of municipal centers to restore essential social services while the wider restoration continues.

As of 12:00 noon on 13 November 2025, Beneco reported a total of 104 damaged poles, with 57 located in the northern area, including 26 in Buguias, 15 in Atok, and 9 in Mankayan, with the rest scattered across Kapangan, Kibungan, and Tublay. Nine transformers were also damaged. The heavy damage to backbone line poles—crucial for transmitting electricity from substations—remains the primary factor slowing the restoration process.

Beneco Network Service Department Manager Frasier Angayen said full restoration may take up to two weeks.

Beneco and its contractor teams have been working continuously since Tuesday to clear debris, inspect lines, and erect new poles in challenging and mountainous terrain. According to the cooperative, logistical hurdles—including road closures, the need to transport materials from Baguio City, and the fact that replacing a single pole can take nearly a full day—continue to hamper the pace of restoration.