Napocor activates Calapan-Puerto Galera transmission line after rehab

NATIONAL Power Corp. (Napocor) brought online on Saturday the 69-kilovolt (kV) Calapan-Puerto Galera transmission line in Oriental Mindoro to help improve the reliability of power dispatch in the province, the Energy department said.

“The completed and ongoing rehabilitation projects are consistent with the orders of President Duterte and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi in addressing energy resiliency and supporting the economic activities of the Mindoreños,” said Department of Energy (DoE) Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella said in a statement on Sunday.

He said power project in the area support the booming tourism industry in Puerto Galera and elsewhere on Mindoro Island.

Government-owned Napocor is mandated to energize farflung, off-grid areas and islands.

Pio J. Benavides, Napocor president and chief executive officer, said the completion of the P37million rehabilitation project will help Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ormeco) improve the efficiency of its 13.8-kV distribution line and save money from reduced systems loss.

“The 41-km transmission line has undergone rehabilitation works which covered the replacing of wood poles with steel and the installing of new insulators, power conductors and other line hardware,” he said.

“It can contribute to the efficiency of electricity services that will result in more savings to Mindoreños,” he added.

Right-of-way issues remain a challenge for the area, resulting in the exclusion of six structures from the rehabilitation that covered 336 pole structures of the transmission line.

“Right-of-way issues are the usual factors that hamper our energy projects. Nonetheless, we see to it that we find ways to resolve them either through further negotiations with assistance from the local government units or through re-routing measures,” Mr. Benavidez said.

He said the company “continues to explore other methods in dealing with [right-of-way] disputes.”

Earlier in the week, Napocor energized the 69- kV Mobo- Cataingan transmission line in Masbate to assist the 13.8-kV distribution line of the Masbate Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Maselco).

Napocor is also implementing other projects in the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro “to complete the transmission system loop that will allow for a more stable and reliable power supply,” it said. —