NGCP completes repair of transmission lines

MANILA, Philippines - The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said yesterday it has completed the repair on the remaining power sub-transmission line damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

In an advisory, NGCP said on Feb. 4, it was able to complete the repair of the 69-kilovolt Tolosa-Javier transmission line in Leyte.

“We are glad that the Typhoon Yolanda restoration is finally completed and that our transmission facilities are 100 percent ready to serve the distribution utilities. Now, we have to start working on the long-term solution to the devastation, which is innovating and improving our designs,” said NGCP spokesperson Cynthia D. Perez-Alabanza.

The line is now ready to serve the Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative or Dorelco.

In its latest report to the Department of Energy (DOE), NGCP said that it has fully restored power transmission to the Visayas grid on Dec. 23 through the use of emergency restoration system (ERS) and light-weight modular towers.

Though temporary, these structures are designed to withstand weather disturbances, NGCP said.

In its report, NGCP said it would also commence permanent restoration of the backbone structures, particularly the 134 towers of the Panit-an-Nabas 138-kV line in Capiz and the 72 towers of the Ormoc-Isabel 138-kv line in Leyte once the detailed design is completed.

Moving forward, NGCP said it would create new designs of transmission towers that can withstand the wind speed of super typhoons similar to Yolanda.

NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power transmission network. It is a joint venture between State Grid Corp. of China and OneTaipan Holdings of Henry Sy Jr., the eldest son of mall magnate Henry Sy.