ROW violations cause power interruptions in Leyte and Samar
By Myrna M. Velasco – February 25, 2017, 10:01 PM
from Manila Bulletin
The inimical right-of-way (ROW) hurdles of system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) struck again – this time causing power interruptions in Leyte and Samar provinces.
ROW concerns and hitches have had sensitivities in the operations of the power system, thus, it is highly necessary that they would be kept at bay from human and/or nature-linked assaults.
The company related that on January 17, a coconut tree hit on to the ROW clearance of the 69-kilovolt Borongan-Quinapondan line; thus, affecting power supply flow for the customers of the Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Another incident on the same day, involving bamboo scaffolding falling on the 69kW Lemon-Tolosa line, regrettably caused power interruptions of considerably massive scale.
The affected electricity end-users are those served by the Biliran Electric Cooperative, Leyte V Electric Cooperative, Leyte III Electric Cooperative and Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative.
Later in January 4, NGCP indicated that consumers within the service areas of Leyte IV and V Electric Cooperatives “suffered a repeat power interruption due to a toppled coconut tree,” affecting the clearance way for the 69kV Ormoc-Baybay line.
Still another incident with a bamboo tree leaning on the 69kV Nasaug-Sogod-St. Bernard line had caused service distress for those served by the Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative.
It is for this reason then that the transmission firm concessionaire has been “appealing for the support of the public to keep ROW clearances free of any and all obstructions.”
The company further noted that while it “continues to work towards improving power transmission lines and facilities, we depend on our partner communities to help us maintain over 20,000 circuit-kilometers of transmission lines.”
It added that the series of ROW violations and the resulting power interruptions could cause unwanted public inconvenience as well as probable economic losses.
