NGCP restores critical Mindanao transmission

By Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 16, 2016 - 12:00am
http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/03/16/1563249/ngcp-restores-critical-mindanao-transmission

MANILA, Philippines – The Mindanao grid gets an additional 80 megawatts (MW) in supply after a critical transmission tower was restored late Monday, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).

The DOE said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Securing Energy Facilities (IATFSEF), through the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), successfully restored on March 14 Tower No. 25, which connected the generated power from Agus Hydroelectric Plant Units 1 and 2.

The agency said restoration activities last March 5, a day after the Regional Trial Court of Lanao del Sur granted a temporary restraining order in favor of the NGCP, directing the Sambitory family to allow access to their claimed property, were undertaken for the rehabilitation to proceed smoothly.

“With the cooperation from all stakeholders to restore Tower No. 25, Mindanaoans have again enjoyed about 80 megawatts of cheaper and cleaner power supply from the Agus plants. This will substantially result in reduction of rotating brownouts in the affected areas,” Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada said.

Agus 1 and 2 have a combined installed capacity of 260 MW but higher temperature aggravated by El Niño phenomenon reduced the operating capacity of the hydropower plants.

Tower No. 25 was bombed last Dec. 24, rendering it inoperational to transmit power from the Agus hydropower plants to the grid.

NGCP said repair and restoration was hampered by the refusal of claimants belonging to the Sambitory family to allow access to the tower site.

“We are very pleased with this development. We have been poised and ready to restore the facility as soon as it was toppled. All we needed was access to the property. With the court issued injunction, we were given legal cover to access the transmission facilities and begin restoration,” the grid operator said.

This coming elections, Monsada is calling for continued public support in ensuring reliable power supply.

She said the IATFSEF remains keen in upholding public interest as priority in all of its action plans, especially to prevent untoward incidents from happening again that may compromise not just the energy facilities, but the lives and welfare of the people.

This, after the Commission on Elections has deputized its member agencies to implement clearing of trees, infrastructure and any obstructions beneath the transmission facilities.

In 2015, a total of 16 towers were toppled or damaged.