InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
DAGUPAN CITY — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) assured stable supply of electricity before, during, and after the national and local elections on Monday.
Lilibeth Gaydowen, NGCP public affairs and communications officer in Northern Luzon, said NGCP started to implement its contingency plan to ensure that the country’s power transmission network is geared up for the nationwide polls.
She said as early as February this year, the company has been in close coordination with the Department of Energy to monitor the power outlook on the day of the elections.
“We are aligning our efforts with the Department of Energy and the rest of the power industry to ensure a blackout-free May elections. As System Operator, NGCP is closely coordinating with generators to ensure sufficient power supply and reserves,” the NGCP said.
The continuous flow of electricity from generators to distributors through the power grid facilities will benefit customers who depend on these power services, the NGCP said.
NGCP has also been preparing its facilities and deploying its resources to be responsive to any incident that may affect transmission services during the election period.
Some of the contingency measures put in place were the suspension of line and equipment maintenance and testing activities two weeks before and one week after election day to make sure that all facilities are on-line and available from casting to counting of the votes.
In case of power interruption, NGCP will be ready to deploy its strategically placed aircraft, emergency restoration structures, and spare parts for faster line inspection and restoration.
NGCP will also activate its Over-all Command and Control Center in its headquarters, regional, and district offices 24/7 a day before and after the elections. These command and control centers will also serve as the energy sector’s main monitoring and information centers.
On the issue of right-of-way, which has been a major problem for the company in recent months, NGCP reported “We are also expediting our right-of-way clearing operations.”
“We want our lines to be cleared of illegally planted trees before the elections for more reliable transmission service. We are doing this with Comelec Resolution 10067 as legal cover and assistance from the AFP, PNP, and LGUs,” the NGCP said.