As
the El Niño season peaks, power grid
operator NGCP steps up its campaign to warn the public against forming and
spreading grassfires, especially in rural areas.
“NGCP is going all out in
informing the public of the dangers and adverse effects of grassfires on transmission
facilities. Not only is grassfire hazardous to the health of the people, it
also poses a threat to power transmission facilities, particularly wood poles.
If these structures are burnt, our transmission services might be interrupted,”
stated NGCP.
The company also noted that
the smoke from grassfires alone can cause tripping of transmission lines. “The
fire does not have to physically touch the line for it to trip. The thick smoke
alone can trigger these lines to trip and cause power interruption,” the
company reiterated.
At the same time, NGCP
thanked the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), particularly in Cagayan, who was
quick to respond to grassfire incidents involving power transmission assets.
Last April 3, a wood pole was burnt along one of NGCP’s transmission lines
in the province. Fortunately, the incident did not result in a tripping.
Four of NGCP’s 69-kilovolt
lines, mostly composed of wood poles, traverse Cagayan servicing the franchise
areas of Cagayan I Electric Cooperative (CAGELCO I), Cagayan II Electric
Cooperative (CAGELCO II), Isabela II Electric Cooperative (ISELCO II) and
Kalinga Electric Cooperative (KAELCO) in Cagayan, Kalinga, Apayao, and parts of
Isabela provinces.
“The integrity of these lines
is threatened by grassfires which, per field reports, are usually formed by
farmers especially during the summer season. We reiterate our appeal to the
public to stop these unsafe practices near transmission lines so power
interruptions are avoided,” said NGCP.
NGCP is a privately owned
corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s
power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways”
that include the interconnected system of transmission lines, towers,
substations, and related assets. The consortium, which holds the 25-year
concession contract to operate the country's power transmission network, is
comprised of Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. led by Henry Sy, Jr., Calaca High
Power Corporation led by Robert Coyiuto, Jr., and the State Grid Corporation of
China (SGCC) as technical partner. (NGCP news)
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