NGCP continues restoration work in North Luzon after Mina

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MONDAY, 29 AUGUST 2011 18:18 PAUL ANTHONY A. ISLA / REPORTER

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s power lines concessionaire, said on Monday that it continues restoration works on transmission facilities affected by Typhoon Mina over the weekend.

As of lunchtime, the NGCP said it has shifted the load of Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (Inec) to its Laoag substation, as restoration works are still ongoing in its 69-kilovolt (kV) Curimao-San Nicolas line.

The line, according to the NGCP, has affected power supply in parts of Batac, Paoay and San Nicolas after tripping on Saturday.

The NGCP said initial reports indicated that wooden structures of the Curimao-San Nicolas line were topped due to strong winds even as storm guys or support have been installed.

The NGCP added that impassable roads caused by floods and fallen trees initially hampered the patrolling and the hauling of poles and line materials to the site.

The NGCP also noted that load of 69-kV Laoag-San Nicolas to Inec-Batac was isolated by opening the disconnect switch at Payas.

The NGCP said initial reports indicated problems with the billing meter at Inec-Batac premises.

The NGCP said its metering group proceeded to check and replace the said metering facility.

It added it has put in place contingency measures under its Integrated Typhoon Action Plan (Itap).

It also said it is further implementing various contingency measures that will ensure the availability of telecommunication facilities, equipment, tools and vehicles at all times while the typhoon is within the Philippine area of responsibility.

“The availability of materials and supplies necessary for the repair of possible damage to facilities, as well as the positioning of line crews in strategic areas, is currently being coordinated to facilitate the immediate restoration of damaged facilities in affected areas,” the NGCP said.

The agency said the Itap, a program it implements nationwide, provides for guidelines and coordinated procedures in preparing and coping not just with typhoons, but also other events which may cause grid disturbances such as tropical depressions, storms, heavy rains, flash floods, earthquakes, and tsunami.

It said the Itap lays out specific tasks and assignments per group that would expedite power restoration processes during actual emergencies.

The NGCP said the preparations include posting of line crews in strategic pre-selected locations to speed up actual deployment, inspection and evaluation of damage on facilities, postponement of all scheduled transmission line and substation shutdowns in the affected areas until such time that the situation has stabilized, and the provision of back-up telecommunication facilities, equipment, vehicles, line materials and hardware necessary for the immediate repair of transmission facilities.