NGCP ready for upcoming Barangay and SK polls

Power transmission operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is all set on its preparations to secure power transmission operations and facilities during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on 30 October 2023.

NGCP said it continues to conduct vegetation clearing operations along identified critical transmission lines across the country to minimize the occurrence of grid disturbances caused by obstructions along the power lines.

Other non-critical maintenance works and construction activities inside substations and within 300 meters of energized power lines are suspended from 23 October to 03 November. Necessary corrective works were completed beforehand.

On 29 October, NGCP began issuing advisories on the power situation every four (4) hours, which may vary depending on the situation on the ground.

Despite the declaration of 30 October as a special non-working day, NGCP’s critical units, particularly System Operations (SO) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M), will remain fully staffed and operational.

Line crews, engineers, pilots, maintenance and testing, and other technical personnel are also strategically positioned in substations to respond to line trippings, if any.

Administrative and other support teams will also remain on duty.

Spare parts such as steel poles, emergency restoration systems, and insulators are already prepositioned along with the deployment of heavy equipment, cranes, line trucks, and/or choppers for the immediate restoration of facilities, in case needed.

The Overall Command Center, while already activated with personnel on duty from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, will commence its 24/7 operations on 29 October to monitor grid disturbances and overall power situation.

Personnel manning the Regional and Area Control Centers, critical substations, and the quick response team will be on 24-hour shifts, with twice the number of personnel on duty, from 29-31 October.

“NGCP’s Integrated Disaster Action Plan (IDAP) prescribes these and other measures to ensure the readiness of all power transmission facilities to be affected by emergencies or important national events. With its security and contingency preparations set, NGCP can ensure reliable power transmission services before, during, and after the local elections, including during the manual canvassing of votes,” the firm said.