The following is taken from a disclosure to the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission:
We advise the Exchange that Energy Development Corporation has been monitoring the movement of Typhoon Ruby (International Name: Hagupit) as it moves towards the country. As of 12:00 pm of December 8, 2014, EDC notes the following:
- All EDC employees in Bacman are safe and accounted for. We are working hard to account for all employees in Leyte but so far no casualties have been reported.
- All of EDC’s Leyte and Bacman geothermal steamfield facilities and power plants are intact based on visual inspection.
- The cooling towers, which in previous extreme weather events have been the most severely affected, are all intact.
- Transformers have been energized, thereby confirming grid connections for all our UL power plants and the Bacman power plant.
- UL is now already generating at 54% of the pre-typhoon levels. Tongonan in Leyte and Bacman in Bicol are undergoing very thorough pre-operation checks for debris and others prior to return to service.
- Our very own Disaster Prevention and Response Teams assisted in the evacuation of in excess of 1,200 people in Leyte, mostly residents from the community who live in homes made of light materials. The residents were allowed to seek shelter in school buildings sponsored by EDC's Community Partnerships program, the Schools For Excellence and the KEITECH Technical Vocational School.
- 27 Tons of relief goods (good for approximately 220,000 1-person meals) pre-packed in Manila have been sent by the company to the evacuation centers of our host communities in Bacon Manito project, where rains continue to be heavy.
- Similar relief goods pre-packed by our Negros Island Business Units and Cebu trading office will be dispatched as soon as sea going landing craft travel is allowed.
EDC extends its sympathies to everyone adversely affected or threatened by the still-raging Typhoon Ruby. Relief operations have been initiated to assist the communities hosting and surrounding our projects, in the hope of helping ease the burden brought by the calamity.