MANILA, Philippines – The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has announced that it is targeting 5 to 6 weeks to restore power transmission lines destroyed by typhoon “Yolanda.”
The target was decided late Tuesday night after the Department of Energy (DOE) and NGCP representatives met with President Benigno Aquino in a Cabinet meeting.
Earlier, Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla estimated restoration to last for 2 months at the earliest. But NGCP spokesman Atty. Cynthia Alabanza said, barring any untoward incidents and other disturbance, the company will try its best to restore the transmission backbone by 5 to 6 weeks.
According to Alabanza, the National Electrification Administration will also work double time so that distribution lines, which were also badly damaged, will be operational in 5 to 6 weeks too.
For NGCP, 566 structures including 248 towers and 318 poles were toppled. Due to the non-operation of the geothermal plant in Leyte, the whole of Visayas now has a deficiency of around 200 MW, resulting to rotating brownouts in Visayas.
The NGCP plans to redesign its towers, with the current that can withstand 185 kilometers per hour (kph), to a structure that can take 270 kph wind strength.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
