The National Electrification Administration (NEA) said Wednesday that electric cooperatives (ECs) connected 148,792 new power consumers in the first quarter, up 11% year on year, as the agency works towards a target of 400,000 by the end of 2021.
NEA Information Technology and Communication Services Department Manager Roderick N. Padua said in a statement that the connection total represents 37% of the new connections target for the year.
The NEA said the nationwide electrification rate is now at 90% with 14.45 million consumers covered within the franchise areas of 121 ECs nationwide.
“Luzon is now 95% energized with 6,745,982 connections; Visayas at 93% with 3,826,682 connections; and Mindanao at 80% with 3,873,635 connections,” it said.
NEA estimates the number of unserved consumers at 1.45 million, based on the 2015 population and housing census.
The NEA earlier reported that its ECs connected over 522,000 new power consumers in 2020, surpassing the target by 14%. — Angelica Y. Yang
