Due to NGCP pole replacement
TACLOBAN CITY – Residents in this city may continue to experience scheduled power interruptions until next year as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) works to replace aging wooden poles with more durable steel posts.
Ricardo Lozano, district manager for Visayas Operations and Maintenance, explained that while the NGCP is committed to expediting the project, several factors have slowed progress.
“We want to avoid prolonged power interruptions that could last three to four weeks if we conducted the work continuously,” Lozano said on Monday, November 25. “Additionally, we’ve received requests from local government units and government agencies to postpone power shutdowns due to events like fiesta celebrations or state-sponsored examinations.”
The pole replacement works are being done during weekends to avoid disruption of economic activities and normally lasts more than half a day.
Despite these delays, Lozano assured the public that the project would be completed by 2025. “We aim to finish the pole replacement ahead of the general elections next year and in anticipation of increased power demand during the summer season,” he said.
The NGCP has identified 55 wooden poles in critical condition that need to be replaced with steel posts. These poles are located along three line segments serving Tacloban City and the nearby towns of Babatngon and Palo. These areas are under the jurisdiction of the Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II), which services more than 90,000 member-consumers.
The pole replacement project began in 2013 in response to the widespread damage caused by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’, which devastated Tacloban City and toppled numerous power poles. Of the 202 wooden poles originally slated for replacement, 147 have already been upgraded to steel.
“The remaining wooden poles are mostly rotten and need urgent replacement. Steel poles are more reliable and durable, ensuring better service and safety for our consumers,” Lozano added.
While the NGCP has emphasized the importance of completing the project, Lozano did not disclose the budget allocated for the pole replacement program.
JOEY A. GABIETA
