NGCP reinforces ‘response effort’ with strike of 2 typhoons
With two stormy weather events pounding the country’s north and south corridors of Luzon this week, system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has indicated that it has been reinforcing its preparations and response systems to eventualities.
In a statement to the media, the transmission firm noted that it has “implemented the necessary preparations and precautions to minimize the impact of tropical depression ‘Maring’ on transmission operations and facilities.”
“Maring” is the weather disturbance that made a landfall in Quezon province, southern part of Luzon; while in the north, NGCP had also stepped up response efforts to tropical depression “Lannie” that entered the country earlier in the week.
The transmission firm added its Regional Disaster Command Center “monitors all power restoration activities, reports, and updates from the District Command Centers in Luzon,” primarily on areas that will be hit directly by the tropical storms.
NGCP emphasized that its preparations covered “ensuring the reliability of communications equipment, availability of hardware materials, and supplies necessary for the repair of damages to facilities.”
It also sorted out positioning of line crews in strategic areas, “to facilitate immediate restoration work.”
As of 11 a.m. on Tuesday (September 12), NGCP said the operations of its transmission facilities and networks were still on “normal state;” while elevating alertness as the storm intensified later in the day.
The company reiterated that its enforcement of measures had still been aligned with its long-standing Integrated Disaster Action Plan (IDAP), sort of guaranteeing “the readiness of all power transmission facilities expected to be affected by the passage of the weather disturbance.”
For its part, Manila Electric Company (Meralco) noted that its crews have been “ready to attend to any trouble that may affect our facilities in areas that experience strong winds and heavy rain.” (MMV)