Businessmen in Negros Oriental are pushing for the speedy energization of a new power transmission line as the current 69 kilovolt (kV) line is on the brink of reaching critical levels.
“The 69kV line in Amlan town is already going beyond its limits and once it reaches its maximum, it will automatically shut down and that will have a massive negative impact on the entire province of Negros Oriental,” Edward Du, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI), said on Thursday.
Du said during a Kapihan sa PIA forum that the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) must have a Plan B or find other options to complete the 138kV line before it is too late.
Lawyer Fe Marie Dicen-Tagle, general manager of the Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative (NORECO II), said in the same forum that the 69kV line is now congested, reaching nearly 70 megawatts (MW) of usage a day, especially during summer, versus an ideal maximum of only 58 MW.
To avoid the shutdown of the system, the NGCP has to regularly implement Manual Load Dropping or rotating brownouts as a stop-gap measure, she added.
The NGCP is battling a road right-of-way issue with property owners and residents of Barangay Ogahong in Valencia town who were opposing the project, citing health issues and other concerns.
According to Du, the NOCCI had already submitted a proposed Plan B to NGCP for the 138kV line to pass by the roadside instead of cutting across private property.
The NGCP, however, disagreed with the proposal and “insisted” that the only way is for the new transmission line to pass through Ogahong, he added.
Du said the right-of-way issue resulted from the “lack of public information, the absence of social preparation and preliminary activities” by NGCP on the 138kV line project, which “shocked the community.”
The NOCCI president feared that the province would suffer greatly if the deadlock between the NGCP and the protesters is not resolved soon.
Fe Marie Dicen-Tagle, general manager of the Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative (NORECO II) in the same forum disclosed some measures they are undertaking to address current power issues such as brownouts, low voltage, and fluctuation due to the overloaded 69kV line.
Tagle said NORECO II has installed a 10-MW substation in Sibulan town although it is still not yet energized and awaiting the completion of documentary requirements.
She expressed hope that the Sibulan substation will be operational this year.
Meanwhile, Du is recommending a forum or summit where key energy players like the Department of Energy, NGCP, and NORECO II, as well as other stakeholders from different sectors, could air out their concerns on the critical power situation in Negros Oriental.
He noted the need for robust, reliable, and stable power connectivity in the province, given the construction of new shopping malls, condominiums, and other development projects that would require additional electricity load. (PNA)
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