Most power outages during storms are preventable

PROPOSED ANTI-POWER LINE DISTURBANCE ACT NEEDED TO CLEAR OUT HAZARDS THAT CAUSE POWER BLACKOUTS

The first storm of the rainy or wet season, Domeng, came and went, but the monsoon rains remain. Even these monsoon rains alone can cause floods strong enough to wash away electricity poles and power transmission lines, especially those in the provinces. Some of these poles and power lines are on hills and slopes, and near rivers.

As the 1-CARE Party-List Representative expressing the voice of the electricity cooperatives, I gently ask the Senate to expedite passage of House Bill 6276 while there is still time left before the stronger storms come in the months ahead.

The Senate committee on energy, chaired by Honorable Senator Sherwin Gatchalian still has time to review and possibly improve upon the proposed Anti-Power Line Disturbance Act embodied by HB 6276 before more destructive storms and floods come starting next July.

Complete staff work by the Senate energy committee can be undertaken in the coming weeks so that by late July or early August, significant progress would have been made.

The House approved HB 6276 on third and final reading last September 25, 2017 and sent to the Senate on September 27.

With HB 6276, the electric cooperatives and the distribution & transmission utilities would be empowered to clear all potential hazards to power lines and prevent blackouts.

Prevention is better than cure and we also get our technical crew out of harm’s way. We would be able to spare electric coop customers the power outages which usually follow when storms topple tall trees that grow near or under power lines.

The Anti-Power Line Disturbance bill of the House has a provision reserving only to the Supreme Court the power to issue injunctions o temporary restraining orders against efforts to clear right-of-way areas of hazards to power lines.

HB 6276 also requires applicants for building permits to secure first the permission of electric cooperatives before they build any structures at or near the right-of-way zone at power lines and facilities.

REP. CARLOS ROMAN UYBARRETA

1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy, Inc.

1-CARE Party-list