Cotabato Light raises possibility of power outages
Local News • 06:23 AM Mon Apr 17, 2017
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By:
Rhoderick Beñez
Cotabato Light linemen work on power distribution facilities in its franchise area. (aboitizpower)
COTABATO CITY -- The Cotabato
Light and Power Company (Cotabato Light) foresees power outages in the coming
months as the summer season comes.
But the
expected power interruption can be avoided if other sectors would help the
distribution utility.
One of the
solutions to avoid power shortage in the Cotabato Light franchise area is to
address the transmission line problem.
Mindanao Grid
has enough power supply but the problem is likely to happen in the transmission
of power supply from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
Anna Lea Lee Nataño,
Cotabato Light’s Communication and Reputation Enhancement head, said that while
Mindanao grid has enough supply, the power comes to the Aboitiz owned firm has only
one route – the Kibawe-Kabacan-Simuay 138 KV line.
Incidents of
lawlessness like bombings of steel towers, regular preventive maintenance of transmission
lines and other transmission problems could mean power outages in the Cotabato
Light service areas.
Nataño said when
power is not available through the Kibawe-Kabacan-Simuay route, the Cotabato
Light gets its supply from Tacurong Sub-Station. However, the Tacurong-Simuay need to have
NGCP owned steel towers to ensure steady supply for the Cotabato Light services
areas.
Cotabato Light
has sought the help of Cotabato City council to pass a resolution urging NGCP
to stabilize transmission line from Tacurong sub station to Simuay sub-station.
But NGCP has
reservations on the requests due to the presence of lawless elements along the
proposed routes from Tacurong to Datu Saudi Ampatuan station to Simuay in
Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
Nataño said if
these issues are not addressed soonest, Cotabato City and the towns of Sultan
Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat may experience power outages.
Currently, the
power demand is about 27 megawatt (MW) for the distribution utility’s franchise
area. But this year, load requirement reached as high as 27MW.
Nataño the
city has a fast growing economy and load growth is anticipated with the coming
of huge commercial establishments like malls.
Mindanao grid has
an average power reserve of 300 to 370 MW monthly based on data provided by
NGCP.