NGCP: Full power back by Dec. 24

CEBU, Philippines - The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has committed to the deadline set by the Department of Energy for power to be fully restored by fixing damaged transmission lines and other structures.

“NGCP is committed to meet the DOE deadline, December 24,” said Elmer Cruz, NGCP spokesperson, in a text message sent to The Freeman yesterday.

DOE-7 Director Antonio Labios, in his  “Power Situation in the Visayas” presentation, said NGCP has  23  transmission lines and  624 structures in the Visayas that were damaged by super typhoon Yolanda.

The transmission lines that were damaged were the 350kV High Voltage Direct Current in Luzon, 230kV line in Leyte, six lines of the 138kV line in the Samar/Leyte area, two lines of the 138kV lines in Panay, two lines of the 69kV line in Samar/Leyte area, two lines of the 69kV line in Negros, eight lines of the 69KV line in Panay, and the 69KV line in Bohol.

Of the 624 structures of NGCP that were damaged, 248 of these are towers and 376 are electrical posts that were either toppled, broken or are leaning.

 Labios said that NGCP has already sent a team composed of 1,341 personnel to restore damaged lines and structures.

He said that to fast-track restoration efforts, NGCP has set up an Emergency Restoration Systems (ERS) along with the restoration and rehabilitation of its damaged facilities.

While NGCP is restoring its facilities, power consumers of the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) have to bear one to two hours of rotational brownout each day due to power shortage as a result of the damage mentioned.

This, as two power plants in Leyte, the Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant and the United Leyte, are not yet operational since Yolanda struck the Visayas.

Veco gets one-third or about 150mw of its power supply from Leyte.—(FREEMAN)