NEA targets nearly 92% electrification rate by end-2025, aims for 94% by 2026
It’s a slow and steady race to lift the country’s electrification rate, with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) aiming to reach nearly 92 percent this year and push further gains by 2026.
In an ambush interview last week, NEA Administrator Antonio Almeda said the agency remains firm on its 94-percent national electrification target, supported by its push for a higher budget for next year.
“Last year, we’re at 89-percent [electrification rate]... By end-2025, we’ll be achieving 91.7 percent. And with the increase in subsidy granted to us by the Congress, we’re expecting or targeting 94-percent electrification rate,” he told reporters.
Despite the optimistic full-year outlook, the electrification rate has remained steady. Why is that? Almeda said the slow pace in new energization efforts this year could be due to weather-related disruptions.
“It’s always the weather. As I mentioned earlier, I am working on some challenges on additional warm bodies for engineers of NEA for a timely implementation, because with the increase in the budget requires increase in engineers to validate, inspect, liquidate, and issue certificates of final inspection,” the NEA chief explained, noting that the agency is working closely with the Commission on Audit (COA).
To help accelerate its rural electrification development, NEA put an emphasis on securing power for Mindanao.
“We’re still putting into priority on the Mindanao area... Especially the geographically isolated and disadvantageous areas (GIDA). Mostly in BARMM [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao]. These are really areas in the country that really need help,” Almeda said, highlighting other regions such as the Cordilleras, Cagayan Valley, parts of Visayas such as Negros Island Region, and areas that have experienced armed struggle.
Previously, NEA and the Department of Energy (DOE) sought to raise the electrification budget to ₱9 billion by next year.
“We are, from ₱2.8 billion, I think we doubled already to ₱5 billion... Not to mention, [there are] motions to include [the additional grant] of ₱4 billion,” Almeda said.