Transmission line of national power grid bombed
Another transmission line of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) was bombed Monday morning, making it the fourth tower to be bombed since Dec. 24 and 16th tower to be attacked this year.
NGCP’s Tower #4 of Balo-i-Agus 2 138kV line in Nangka, Balo-i in Lanao del Norte was bombed Monday morning.
Fortunately, NGCP said in a statement that the tower did not topple.
NGCP also noted that there are intelligence reports that eight more towers are to be bombed by lawless elements as it expressed fears that if not prevented, may cause power shortages in the south.
Meanwhile, NGCP said it has already completed the repair of bombed Tower #95 along the Kibawe-Tacurong/Sultan Kudarat 138-kV line in North Cotabato at 1:30PM Monday.
The said tower, according to NGCP, is one of two towers bombed by unknown lawless elements last Dec. 24.
At the same time, NGCP reiterated its appeal to the national and local governments to help stem this attack on transmission lines.
NGCP likewise appeals to the public to report any suspicious activities at or near its transmission lines to local law enforcement offices to prevent further power outage caused by those attacks.
Two more NGCP towers were bombed last night, Dec. 24, 2015. At 10:47PM, Tower 25, located at Brgy. Gandamatu, Ramain, Lanao del Sur, along NGCP’s Agus2-Kibawe 138 KV line, was toppled by unknown lawless elements. Fifteen minutes later, at approximately 11pm, tower 95 located in the vicinity of Brgy. Aroman, Carmen, North Cotabato, along NGCP’s Kibawe – Kabakan 138 KV lines 1&2, was also bombed. The tower was damaged but did not topple. These are the 14th and 15th towers to be attacked this year.
The toppling of Tower 25 led to the isolation of government owned generating facilities, namely the Agus 1 & 2 Hydro Electric Plants. As a result, 58MW was lost from the grid, aggravating the existing power shortage in Mindanao.
Restoration efforts will commence as soon as the area is secured.
NGCP is calling on the public to report any suspicious activities at or around its facilities, to prevent further bombing-related power interruptions.
