Napocor explains why flooding not its fault

LIFELINE HOTLINE. A rescue worker carries a flood victim on his shoulders in Hagonoy, Bulacan province, on Friday. Officials and residents pin blame for the flooding on the release of excess waters from Angat Dam. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

State-run  National Power Corp. (Napocor) on Monday insisted its water releases from Angat Dam at the height of Typhoon “Pedring” last month did not cause the massive flooding downstream in some municipalities of Bulacan.

Napocor also said that it had strictly complied with existing protocols when it spilled the dam water.

The Dam Water Release Protocol dictates that once the water level in Angat breaches its spill level of 210 meters above sea level (masl), the excess water should be discharged to ensure the dam’s structural integrity.

Prior to the actual release, Napocor said it had given out ample warnings, as dictated by the protocol.

“The water inflow to the dam was admittedly high because of the rainfall but, despite this, we were able to manage the outflow or the water release from the dam as protocol dictated,” said Napocor president Froilan A. Tampinco.

Class suit vs power firm

Napocor issued the statement Monday following news reports that the provincial government of Bulacan was planning to file a class suit against the power firm, charging that the water releases from Angat had caused the massive flooding in the province.

Napocor said it would respond to the suit, when it is filed, in the proper forum.

When the water level of Angat rose to 209.65 masl at 1 p.m. of September 27, Napocor said it began issuing general notices of dam water release to the Office of the Governor of Bulacan and the local government units in the path of the Angat River.

It finally opened a gate later that day when the water level reached 211.14 masl. Gate openings were gradually increased from one meter or an equivalent discharge of 120 cubic meters per second to a maximum outflow of 200 cms, when the water level reached 214.08 masl.

Reduction of flooding

At 4 p.m. of September 30, all of Angat’s gates were closed, even as the water level was still high at 213.08 masl.

“The gates were closed to reduce the dam’s contribution to downstream flooding. The Angat River Basin or watershed has an area of 586 square kilometers, which constitutes only about five percent of the total area of the Pampanga River Basin that measures some 10,540 sq km. Thus, it could not have caused the flooding now being experienced in Bulacan,” Napocor explained.

Napocor further clarified that it had operational control only over Angat Dam, while the other dams in Central Luzon were controlled either by the National Irrigation Administration or Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System.

“I am in no position to order their operators…,” Tampinco said.

Citing the Umiray-Angat Transbasin Project, Tampinco said the “project is under the jurisdiction of the MWSS, and as such Napocor is in no position to give instructions to the project operator on how to operate the facility, before, during and after the passing of Typhoon Pedring.”